Spike and the Gang: Evil Takes It's Toll
by Spinjitzugirl6310
Summary: Spike Sanchez is dead to the people of New York. But she is very much alive underneath it. As Spike adjusts to her mutation, the Foot and Kraang take another step in their plan of world domination. Spike, April, Casey, Irma, Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey must take a stand for their city, and their planet, whilst trying to trust a former foe.
1. Chapter 1

**We're back! Welcome to another book, please read and review!**

Sarah (Spike) Sanchez had felt alone for fifteen years, ever since her parents and two little sisters had died in the car accident, despite the presence of her best friend and colleague, April O'Neil.

They were news reporters. At least, April was. Spike helped.

April had gone in to investigate Foot Clan attacks, (The Foot Clan are a criminal organization) and Spike had followed.

In the span of three days, they were captured to be used as hostages, hung off buildings, fought Foot Soldiers, and robot Samurai with their cameraman, Vernon Fenwick.

They also met four Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo, that had originally been their childhood pets, and their rat master, Splinter.

Their lives were turned upside down and inside out, and they had defeated evil, eventually, with the turtles' help.

Now April and Spike had joined the turtles in a fight against the Foot, aliens called the Kraang, a gang called the Purple Dragons, and a mysterious agency operated by an Agent Bishop, all of which were producing mutants that were harder and harder to beat.

Slash, a mutated turtle, Bebop, a mutated warthog, and Rocksteady, a mutated rhinoceros. On top of this were things like mutant beavers, and human threats like Karai.

April and Spike had made human allies, Irma Langinstein, a friend from school, and a co-worker, Casey Jones.

Spike also had a secret ally, Skye, a woman from a different dimension who appeared occasionally to her to help her keep from messing up the timeline.

They've done a pretty good job of it so far, with no major complications.

But things have changed.

Around January, Michelangelo and Irma began a relationship shortly before _The Star Wars Incident,_ an incident that had cast the turtles and their friends as the characters from the original trilogy, pressing Spike into the role as Princess Leia, and Raphael as Han Solo.

This caused complications as Spike began to see her friend in a new light, causing her to promptly do what she was used to doing: stifle her feelings.

The biggest news, however, is the dramatic return of the Shredder, and his murder of Spike herself.

Seconds after she gasped out her last breath, Donatello discovered mutagen in the next room that he used to bring her back to life. She was fine, for a few hours.

The mutagen had turtle DNA in it, and that night, it mutated Spike into a turtle-human hybrid, giving her the appearance and attributes of her four friends.

The group accepted her into the lair as a close sister, which was one of the few things that could help her through her despair.

But she's determined to move on now.

Let's find out what happens next.


	2. Chapter 2

April sets a box down inside the lair as Spike reenters, holding five boxes.

Irma chuckles. "How's that super strength, eh?"

Spike shrugs, setting them down. "Uh…."

"She ripped the refrigerator door off this morning accidently," Donatello supplies. "What does that tell you?"

"She's adjusting," April says, patting her friend's scaly shoulder.

Spike half-smiles. "Jus' hope I don't break anything else while I adjust."

Leonardo shakes his head. "I'm sure you'll be used to it in no time."

Michelangelo pops open a box and sorts through. "These are books. Wow, there's a lot of books here!"

Spike crouches and falls over again onto her shell. She rolls back up and blows out a sigh. "That's the sixth time."

Irma checks her watch. "Kay, let's get Spike unpacked. Jones'll be here soon, and he still doesn't know about her….metamorphosis."

Spike stops rooting through another box and holds up a hairbrush. She raises an eye ridge. "Uh, April?"

"Sorry!" April covers her face. "Oh, sorry."

Spike chuckles, dropping the hairbrush before her eyes well up.

 _C'mon, you loser, don't start cryin' over a hairbrush for goodness sake._

She shakes her head and retrieves her basketball. "Hey, Don!"

He turns as she holds it up and grins. "Alright!"

Spike takes out a stack of photo albums and drawing pads and stops, drawing her breath in as she reaches down with almost clumsy fingers, taking the stack of paper. The drawings that the turtles had done for her on her birthday. On top was a drawing Michelangelo had done of her as Black Widow. She sets the stack back down. "I'm gonna have to hang these up."

Michelangelo moves to another box. "Movies! And…..what's this?" He pulls out a handful of DVDs. "The….Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? What's that?"

Spike grabs it. "Where were _you_ in the nineties?"

"Growing up in the lair."

Donatello leans over his shoulder and points. "Family Matters. Who's that kid?"

Spike leans over. "Steve Urkel. Your human counterpart."

"What? That's ridiculous."

"Don, if you wore pants, you'd wear 'em hiked up clean to your chest," Spike says unsympathetically. "It's you." She stacks her seasons.

"Hey," Raphael leans over. "The A-Team."

"The whole series, yep. Love this show."

Raphael nods. "I love it-"

"When a plan comes together," Spike finishes.

"And here's your hundred 80s posters and…..twenty nine Godzilla movies," Irma says, passing her a box. She slides another one over. "These are your Dad's weapons."

"Sweet."

"What's sweet?" Casey enters the lair. "Hey guys and gals." His eyes fall on Spike. She freezes. "What in blazes?" he demands. "Guys?"


	3. Chapter 3

"And here's your hundred 80s posters and…..twenty nine Godzilla movies," Irma says, passing her a box. She slides another one over. "These are your Dad's weapons."

"Sweet."

"What's sweet?" Casey enters the lair. "Hey guys and gals." His eyes fall on Spike. She freezes. "What in blazes?" he demands. "Guys?"

Spike leans back on her heels and glances around. "Uh….Jones, hey."

"What is this? Last time I checked there were _four_ turtles," Casey says.

Spike rubs the back of her neck. "I can explain."

"Please do."

"Well, I died. Remember? I died, and then the mutagen brought me back," Spike explains. "And….It mutated me later. So here I am." She shrugs helplessly.

Michelangelo wraps an arm around her shoulders. "Isn't it great? We've got a sister!"

"Great? She's…..she's kicked out of the human world now," Casey says. "How is that great?"

Donatello frowns, adjusting his glasses. "We're all sorry about her situation, but-"

"But it can't be helped or changed," Spike says loudly. "I need to get used to the new skin. That's all." She lowers her voice. "Feeling sorry about myself never got me anywhere, I'm not about to start now. It could be worse. I'm not alone, I have friends to help with this. Besides, there are some upsides to this."

Irma turns, startled. "Yeah? Like what?"

"No job, no taxes, I don't have to go deal with people," Spike ticks them off on her fingers before switching hands. "I'm physically superior, don't have to worry about shaving anymore or anything."

"You're a mutant turtle that now has to live in the sewers," Casey points out.

"There are worse places. It could be New Jersey."

"Besides, she came at the perfect time," Michelangelo declares. "Karaoke night!"

"Forget it, short stuff," Spike addresses him. "I don't sing."

"That's what Raph says, but he's still good," Michelangelo protests.

Raphael shoves at his brother's face. "Shuddup."

"What? You embarrassed at your natural talent?" Michelangelo cries.

"Mikey," he hisses. "Shut _up._ "

Michelangelo shrugs and snaps his mouth shut.

"The point is, I can't wallow in self-pity," Spike says. "There's nothing I can do."

Donatello frowns and scratches his head. "I suppose there's the possibility I could create a serum to reverse the mutagen's effects," he offers quietly. "A…..a retro-mutagen of sorts." He raises his gaze. "It could turn you back."

Spike freezes.

"You could do that?" April asks, leaning forward.

Donatello shrugs. "I could try. Spike?"

Silence.

Spike sighs, and with effort speaks. "I won't ask you to do something like that, especially since it's probably impossible. I'll be fine."


	4. Chapter 4

Spike looks around the now-crowded bedroom. "Donnie, are you sure you're not gonna be wanting this back?"

"Nope. You go ahead and keep it," Donatello says from the doorway, peering around at the covered walls. "Yikes."

Spike adjusts her Godzilla action figure. "What?"

"This place looks like a pop culture explosion," he remarks.

"No," she says defensively. "Yes," she says after a minute. "You're right. But guess what?"

"What?"

"April says she's gonna adjust my basketball jerseys so they can fit over…..over this," she says, tapping her shell with a flash of unhappiness.

He watches her for a second. "I'm sorry this happened."

She shrugs. "I think I'm still in shock. Sometimes I think it's just a nightmare, you know?"

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I've been like this as long as I can remember. I was never human. You've had twenty three years to live, and then…" he gestures at her. "This happened."

"Yeah." She sighs. "I'm sorry 'bout takin' your room."

"I told you, it's not a problem." He cocks his head. "You know what? I thought of something that'd cheer you up."

"What's that?" she asks, turning.

He moves to the empty desk (the only empty spot in the room at the moment) and kneels, putting his arm on the table. "Arm wrestle. Right now."

"You? Arm wrestle? Me?" Spike asks.

"Yeah." He smiles slightly. "I don't do it often, but I think this'll pick you up a little."

"What makes you say that?" Spike asks, moving to the other side of the desk.

He shrugs. "You and Raph are alike. A show of brute force cheers you up right away."

"True that," she admits. She brings her arm up and they clasp hands. "Wait, don't I need a backwards baseball cap and an eighteen wheeler?"

"What?!"

"Nevermind, let's just go."

"Okay." Donatello takes a deep breath. "One…..two…go!" He flexes and starts to push.

Spike sinks her teeth into her lower lip and holds fast, before starting to heave back.

They remain still for a moment until Spike starts to force his arm back, to her own shock. She laughs for a minute before screwing her face up in determination, pouring herself into it. "You're not fake losing, right?"

Sweat starts to bead on Donatello's forehead. "No."

April appears in the doorway. "What're you….guys? What are you doing?"

No answer as Spike forces Donatello's arm an inch lower.

"Oh my gosh!" April stops, debating who to root for. "Uh…..C'mon, Donnie!"

The words generate an extra push from him, putting them back to where they started. Spike shakes her head as sweat drips. She peels her two fingers away and readjusts her grip before making one huge, forceful, concentrated push, slamming Donatello's hand to the table.

She lets go and stands up, laughing in disbelief as Donatello shakes out his hand. "Nice," he compliments. "I told you. You're a lot stronger now."

April looks at Donatello sympathetically. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"We need to do that again," Spike declares. "With a more inspirational soundtrack."

Donatello and April glance at each other and laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

A beeping noise alerts Donatello to his computers. He turns. "We have a signal on the Kraang, guys." He clicks on a window, pulling up a camera feed. "Baxter Stockman and Rahzar and Tokka are there too. And so is…..Karai."

Leonardo picks up his katana blades. "Right. We'll go check it out. Spike, stay here. You're still getting used to this….condition."

"Heck no. I'm coming," Spike slides her mace into her belt and steps forward.

Raphael thrusts his arm out in front of her. "Oh, no you don't. He's right."

Leonardo stares at him. "Did everyone hear that?"

Raphael glares at him before continuing to stare Spike down. "It's too dangerous for you. Figuring out your body's limits, and things. You're too uncertain right now."

Spike draws herself up, truly feeling her size now, moving so she is plastron to plastron, nose to nose with Raphael. "Think I can't handle it?"

"Not right now."

She slides her palm over his shoulder and shoves at it, pushing him out of the way. "Too bad. That's Rahzar and Tokka. With the…ah, shall we say benefits, that come with this body, that improves our odds quite a bit, don't you think?"

Michelangelo slaps her on the shoulder. "Woo hoo! Back in the game, huh, sis?"

"You bet."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

"I count fifty Kraang," Donatello says. "Leo?"

"Fall in, quietly," Leonardo says. "See what they're up to first. This is stealth only, so Donnie and I go in first. The rest of you-"

"I get it, we're not stealthy," April says. She slides her metal fan back in her belt. "Call us when you need backup."

Donatello smiles and shrugs. "Sure."

They leap to the next building. Spike crosses her arms. "I hope they hurry."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

 _"_ _Leo to team, this is Leonardo to team, do you read me?"_

"This is Michelangelo, we hear you! What's up, bro?!"

 _"_ _We've found out what they're up to. Poisoning the water supply, putting the people of New York into sleep. It'll give them the opportunity to start from here and move on."_

"Oh boy. So can we come now?"

 _"_ _Yeah. Fall in."_

"Right!" Michelangelo turned off the comlink. "Guys, we're headin' in!"

Spike grips her mace and grins wildly. "Let's go crack some heads."

"Be careful," Raphael warns, leaping off the building.

Spike rolls her eyes as Casey jumps to the next building.

Michelangelo scoops Irma up. "Hang on!" He takes off.

Spike looks at April. "Need a lift?"

April shrugs. "Sure."

Spike picks her friend up and takes a running start before rolling into a ball, hitting the window shell first, dropping April safely, and somersaulting to her feet to face their foes.


	6. Chapter 6

Spike glowers down her nose at the Kraang around them as she draws the mace and holds it high. "Who's first?!"

"I thought there were four turtles," Rahzar remarks, glancing at the group.

Stockman's eyes widen behind his glasses. "You fool, that's the girl! They gave her the serum!" He throws back his head and laughed. "I hope you were warned about the side effects, right? Cut off from the rest of your people?"

Raphael starts forward, but Spike thrusts an arm in front of him, stalking forward. Her large hand closes around Stockman's throat and she lifts him up. "The side effects seem to be beneficial," she growls in his face before tossing him into the Kraang. "To arms, guys!"

Michelangelo bounds in beside her, clearing the Kraang's forces as April slides in after him. "Yee-haw!"

Irma sinks her dagger into a Kraang brain and removes it, spinning to face a new enemy. "I'd say thirty Kraang."

"Twenty six," Donatello corrects.

"Okay, twenty six. Sue me."

Spike turns to a new foe as something comes into her peripheral vision. "Karai!" She bares her teeth and raises her mace high.

"Sanchez!" Karai steps back in surprise. "You look…How? How could you have…."

"Mutated," Spike supplies, blocking Karai's half-hearted sword swipe. "Is that the word you're searching for?" She shoves the smaller woman back.

"How?" Karai whispers.

"Your _master_ murdered me," Spike snarls. "I _died._ "

Karai starts in shock and aims a cut for Spike's knees. Spike reaches out and grabs Karai's wrist, stopping the thrust. Spike squeezes and Karai drops the sword. Spike picks it up and holds the tiny weapon, holding the mace over Karai. "Surrender."

Karai looks up at her.

" _Surrender,_ " Spike hisses. "You are beaten. You and the Foot. We are going to defeat your leader, and remove the hateful, hurtful, parasite. Look at what you've done. People have died. Not just me, innocents."

Karai's eyes flicker once, and Spike reaches forward and knocks the woman out, dragging her into a corner before turning.

Raphael and Michelangelo ferociously attempt to battle Rahzar, whilst Leonardo and Donatello fight Tokka. The humans remain taking out the remnants of the Kraang squad.

Spike races towards Leonardo. "Reportin' for duty, Captain."

"Give us a hand," he gasps, blocking a kick and striking at Rahzar's elbow.

Spike eyes the wolf. "Gimme space."

Donatello backs up and holds Rahzar's left arm while Leonardo grabs Rahzar's right arm. "Go!"

Spike goes in with her right cross punch, as hard as she can, into the dog's ribcage.

 _Crack!_

Raphael and Michelangelo rush over. "Tokka's down," Michelangelo reports.

Donatello corners Stockman. "What are you working on?!" he demands.

Stockman glances around. "Nothing!"

Donatello frowns. "Seriously? How dumb do you think we are?"

Raphael brings his fist down on the computer equipment, smashing it. "Don, let's go! Cops are comin'!"

Donatello sheathes his staff and joins the others in the withdrawal.


	7. Chapter 7

Spike's stride is quicker and much steadier on the way back to the lair, despite April's weight on her back. She shivers in the cold January air. "How do you guys stand it?"

"With lots of blankets and coffee," Donatello explains dismally as they enter the lair. He wipes the fog from his glasses.

"Put some meat on yer bones and you'll do better," Raphael says unsympathetically, nudging his less built brother.

"He does just fine," April says, sliding down.

"What about me?" Casey asks, twirling his hockey stick. "For not having ninja training, I think Casey Jones kicks butt!"

Spike rolls her eyes and plunks down, wrapping her arms around herself. She rolls back onto her shell again. She growls.

Michelangelo giggles and helps her back up. "Still gettin' used to it?"

"It's been only a day, Mikey." Spike settles back uncertainly and rests her chin in her hand.

Splinter steps into the room, swishing his tail. "How did it go?"

"We defeated them," Leonardo says.

"And smashed up Stockman's equipment," Raphael adds.

"But we didn't destroy the drug," Donatello sighs.

"I did," Irma says, quietly, with a touch of pride.

"What did you do?" Donatello asks in surprise.

"Smashed a few containers," Irma explains. "I hope that did something."

"So do I," Leonardo says grimly. "We need to know more if we want to stop them thoroughly."

"I say we infiltrate them," April says confidently. "Get in there and get information."

"April's idea is wise," Splinter says.

Leonardo scratches his chin. "Yeah. We sneak in, get information, and sneak back out. We know where their headquarters are."

"So we just go and bust up in the place," Spike reasons, standing clumsily. "Fantastic." She reaches for her mace.

Raphael eyes her uncertainly.

"Don't even think about trying to keep me here," she says, marching past him. "Leonardo and Splinter seem to believe I can handle it."

"And anyway, we're not going tonight," Leonardo points out. "We need more planning done." He glances at Spike. "And you're going to need more practice using your new body. No one is doubting your new abilities, it's simply how awkward you are."

Spike clenches her hands into fists and stares down at them angrily. _Stupid mutagen. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

Michelangelo pats her shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll have it in no time."

Spike drops her hands and looks down at her two-toed feet and nods slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, in no time."

 **Happy Labor Day! Please, let me know what you think in a review, and I'll see you folks next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

_"_ _Please don't do this."_

 _Spike turned to face Michelangelo, whose big blue eyes seemed to grow the longer she looked at them._

 _"_ _I have to, Mikey. People will die if I don't. They have Donnie and April and Irma."_

 _"_ _And if you do go, they'll kill you instead," he said._

 _"_ _I can handle Fishface." She turned and put her hand on her shoulder. "I'll be okay, Mikey."_

 _He closed his eyes and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Be careful, sis."_

 _She smiled. "Of course, Mikester. No worries." She slid her mace behind her shell and turned._

 _"_ _Remember what happened, with April's Mom-Thing?" Michelangelo asked suddenly._

 _She closed her eyes. "Yes."_

 _"_ _Well…try not to do that again."_

 _"_ _Comas are overrated anyway," she said, forcing a joking tone. "I'll be back soon, Mikey."_

 ** _~Evil Takes Its Toll~_**

Spike rolls off the edge of Donatello's nest-bed thing and hits the ground. She grunts and rolls over, sighing in frustration.

She glances around, sitting up and reaching out to the mask on the table beside her. Her huge fingers close around the black fabric as she holds it up in front of her.

 _One of the family, eh?_

She stands and ties the mask on, slipping out of Donatello's room. She passes through the hallway and living room as quietly as she could.

"Where are you going, Sarah?"

She starts and spins, hearing Splinter's voice. The rat master looks at her curiously, ear twitching

"For a walk up top. I…I need to think," she explains.

He nods. "I hope you find what you are looking for." He turns and strides back to his room.

Spike turns and continues, moving up through the sewers, to up top. She stands in the dark alley, watching the cars go by in silence.

A scuffling noise assaults her ears. She turns, searching for the source of the sound. She climbs up the warehouse next to her, turning around to try to spot the cause of the noise. She squints as she catches a glimpse of violent movement an alley over. Spike frowns and peers down to look more closely.

It's three Purple Dragons. One of them is Xever.

Spike stares at the drop down to the ground and backs up. "I can do it," she says aloud. "I can jump it now." She closes her eyes and leaps.

She hits the ground and rolls to her feet, bringing her fists up as she stares down the Dragons. "What's up, guys?"

Xever cocks his head. "Ah, one of the finest results of the mutagen yet." He smiles carnivorously.

A Dragon pulls out a pistol and aims it at her. Spike recoils.

"C'mon, let's split the loot and go," the other Dragon says hurriedly. "Before the others show up."

Xever taps his chin. "Why should we split it? I'm your commander. And you two lugs don't exactly lend yourselves to helping with the jobs."

The first Dragon, the one with the gun trained on Spike, turns, glaring. "Hey, that's not true."

Spike shifts, standing. The Dragon spins, pulling the trigger. Spike puts her hands up in front of her face, squeezing her eyes shut.

And the bullet bounces harmlessly off her plastron.

"What?!" The Dragon stares. Spike smiles and drops her arms, striding forward. She reaches for the bag of cash that the third Dragon has.

"Wait!" Xever calls. He reaches into the street in cold, calculating desperation and grabs a girl of about ten. He holds the girl in front of him, pulling his own gun on her. "Let us go, or she gets the bullet."

Spike has a horrid sense of déjà vu. A memory rises up of Xever shooting a woman in an alley much like this one. The woman had died in the ambulance.

Spike stares into the terrified face of the child and steps back into the shadows. It had only taken a second, and she prayed the girl hadn't gotten a good look at her.

Spike takes a deep breath as she considers her options. She had, of course, grabbed her mace on the way out, but she couldn't use it without the girl seeing her.

She bites her lip as she thinks. "Xever," she says. "I'm not here to stop you," she lies. "I'm here to see about joining the Foot."

Xever raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I've been thinking. And I kind of wanted to know the ropes. Like, for example, where do the Purple Dragons fall on the chain of command?"

"What?"

Spike crosses her fingers. "Well, y'know, the Shredder's the head guy, and then you got Sacks an Stockman in the science division, and Rahzar and Tokka and Bebop and Rocksteady, and Karai of course, and Slash, and the Kraang…so what position do _you_ occupy?"

"I am one of the Shredder's most trusted men," Xever declares, a hint of uncertainty at the edge of his voice.

"Then what does that make these guys?" Spike asks. "Henchmen?"

"Hey!" the first Dragon cries. "No way. We're in this equally with Xever."

"I thought he was your boss," Spike says innocently.

The girl in Xever's grip squirms, sweat pouring off her.

As Xever turns to address one of his unhappy 'henchmen', Spike strikes.

She lunges forward, wrapping one hand around Xever's gun, palm over the opening. Xever, out of instinct, pulls the trigger. The bullet hits harmlessly against her armor-like scales. She yanks his arms out to the sides, forcing him to release his little captive. The girl runs to the other side of the alley, but doesn't leave.

Spike picks Xever up and throws him into the first Dragon, spinning to glower at the third. The Dragon stares up at her, realizing that he was standing in the remarkably large shadow of an angry turtle. She reaches down, grabbing the bag of spoils. "Get out of here," she growls.

The Dragon turns and runs for it, followed by the other two.

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you think, it really helps me out. I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

Spike turns in satisfaction, sticking her hands in her belt.

Her eyes fall on the girl in the shadows and she remembers. She panics and stumbles back into the shadows, drawing in breath.

The girl no longer looks frightened. She looks curious.

"Are you a super hero?" the girl asks.

Spike laughs in spite of herself. "I don't know about that."

"You saved me," she says. "Thank you." Her eyes brim over with tears. "I was so scared."

Spike chews on her bottom lip as she examines the girl. A small kid, with dark skin and hair and deep brown eyes. Spike frowns. "Oh, no don't cry….." She steps forward slightly, remaining in the shadow of the building. "Uh, you're okay now."

The girl looks up, wiping away a tear. "How did you do that? They shot you."

"I…..I'm bulletproof," Spike says.

The girl cocks her head. "I'm Samantha. What's your name?"

"Spike."

"Why are you hiding back there?" Samantha asks.

Silence.

"I thought you'd be scared of me," Spike finally answers.

"You saved my life though."

"That doesn't mean anything," Spike says. She steps out a bit further. "I don't scare you?"

"You did a little, at first," Samantha says. "Because of how big you are and stuff." She frowns. "What are you? Are you an alien?"

Spike bends, kneeling so she is at eye level with the girl. "I'm a…..I'm a turtle."

The girl's eyes widen. "Did you get hit with radiation?"

"Something like that. Look, I can't stay here, someone might see me. Where are your parents?"

"Dead," Samantha says flatly.

Spike lowers her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It happened a few years ago," Samantha says, shrugging.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," Spike says. "I lost my parents too."

"But…..but you're a _turtle._ "

"I wasn't always. Listen, where do you stay? Surely you've gotta have somebody looking after you."

"My older sister," Samantha says. "Angel."

"Well, I think she's going to be worried," Spike says. "Don't you?"

"She doesn't get home for a while. Can we still talk?"

Spike frowns. "Promise you won't tell about me? It might get on the news, and that could be a problem."

"I promise."

Spike glances up to the top of the building. "We could talk up there, I suppose."

"I can't climb that high," Samantha says.

Spike looks at her. "You don't have to."

 ** _~Evil Takes Its Toll~_**

Spike gently puts Samantha down on the top. "Don't go near the edge, okay?"

"Can you fly?" Samantha asks, sitting.

"No."

"Do you have laser eyes?"

"No. Why?"

"Because you're bulletproof, and you're super strong," Samantha reasons.

"So are tanks, that doesn't make them Superman."

Samantha giggles. "Why don't you want the news to find out about you?"

"It' my job a lot more difficult."

"So you're like Batman."

Spike chuckles, remembering Raphael and his _'Batman Voice'._ "I don't know about that."

Samantha cups her chin in her hand. "Can I touch you?"

Spike frowns. "I….suppose so."

Samantha reaches out and runs her small hand over Spike's scaly arm. "Wow." She stands and walks around, touching Spike's shell. "Cool. Can you shape shift?"

"Nope."

"What's this?" Samantha taps her mace.

Spike shakes her head. "Don't touch that. It's my weapon." She carefully stands and draws it. "See? It's a mace."

"Like Hawkgirl?"

"I…..guess."

"If you were on the news, you'd be a hero," Samantha says. "A super hero. A real one. I didn't think there were any."

Spike lifts a corner of her mouth. "A rare breed, indeed."

"That would make people happy, I think. To see a real super hero."

"I'm not a super hero," Spike says. "I'm just….kind of a freak."

"So was Spider Man," Samantha says. "And the X-Men. And The Hulk."

"And look how the news treated them," Spike says. "To the rest of the world, I'm an outcast."

"Are you a knight then? Knights had maces and stuff," Samantha asks.

"I'm more of a….." Spike scratches her head. "I think I just go and beat bad guys up, actually."

"Cool." Samantha giggles. "If you're not a super hero, why do you have a mask?"

"It's a…..ninja thing," Spike explains.

"You're a ninja?"

"Kind of."

"That is so cool! Can you do backflips and stuff?"

"Yeah."

Samantha bounces. "Can you teach me?!"

"That would not be a good idea. I've stayed here too long," Spike says, turning. "I'll just get you down and-"

"No!" Samantha shakes her head. "Please, don't go. At least, not for good. Please? Just come to my house tomorrow night if you can, okay? Angel won't be home for a while. I want to ask you something."

Spike looks at her. "I'll think about it. You gotta get home, okay?"

Samantha stood up. "Can you take me down?"

Spike glances at her and holds out her arms. Samantha steps into them confidently.

Spike slightly tightens her hold, afraid of breaking the girl, but afraid of dropping her. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Spike peers down the side of the building before swinging herself around and climbing, very carefully. She sets Samantha down on the ground. "See ya around."

"I hope so." Samantha waves and runs back towards her home.

Spike shakes her head and heads back into the sewer.

As she stepped into the lair, Splinter was waiting. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Splinter asks.

Spike thinks. "Not sure. But….." She looks down at her hands. "I think I know what I'm doing now."


	10. Chapter 10

Spike gingerly opens the refrigerator door the next morning, glancing at the duct tape job done on the hinges.

She stares blearily at the handful of items before groaning and grabbing a can of caffeinated soda.

"It's eight in the morning," Donatello points out from behind her.

Spike rubs her scaly forehead. "Oh yeah." She slides it back.

"We have toast," Donatello offers.

"Toast. Yes. Warm toast." Spike closes the door to the fridge and shuffles to the counter.

"Did you _sleep,_ girl?" Michelangelo asks.

Spike glances up at him. "Uh….I plead the fifth."

Leonardo frowns at her from the table. "Spike, you need your sleep."

" _Someone's_ never been to college," Spike utters dryly, fiddling with the bread bag. She growls in frustration as the twist tie evades her thick fingers.

Splinter's tail twitches up and wraps around the bag, pulling it out of her hands. He unties it and hands it back, studying her face. "Sarah, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Spike says, holding her hand out. "I'm just…." Her eyes focus on the back of her hand. She sighs and looks away. "Adjusting," she finishes.

April bounds into the lair, Irma, hard on her heels. "Spike! Spike, oh my goodness, you'll never guess what happened!"

"You won the lottery," Spike guesses.

"Nope." April shakes her head, grinning, holding something behind her back.

Spike sniffs. "Are those flowers?"

"Darn that new sense of smell," Irma mutters. "You got it."

" _More?_ " Donatello asks. He glances at Spike. "But, I thought everyone thought you've moved. I erased you from the New York database!"

"So did I," Spike says.

April pulls out the bouquet of roses. "Pink. They represent admiration, or appreciation," she says, smiling. "I hate to interrupt breakfast, but it's kind of cute, don't you think?"

"I'd like to know who's sending these," Spike says, digging through a cupboard for a decent sized cup to stick the flowers in. She pulls out a coffee mug and sets it down, filling it with water.

"Sending what?" Raphael asks groggily, stepping out into the kitchen. He squints. "Again?"

"Bingo," Irma says, grinning.

He turns away, cracking his neck. "Don, do we got any decent food?"

"And by decent food, we mean bacon," Spike says, scooting the cup full of roses away.

"No bacon," Leonardo says.

"Sausage?"

"No."

Spike groans. "Hurrah for cereal and toast."

April lays her hand hesitantly on Spike's huge shoulder. "Spike, uh, Irma and I are….well, Irma is moving into the apartment with me. Is…..is that all right?"

Spike raises her head and smiles slightly. "Sure. I don't live there anymore, after all. Why should I mind? It'll make it more efficient for missions n' everythin'."

Raphael plunks down with a bowl of cereal.

"Take the toothpick outta yer mouth," she says.

"No. Get yer breakfast."

April pats Spike's shoulder. "I'm glad you're getting along here."

Spike looks up. "Y'know, I think I am. Don't worry about me."

"I can't help it. I'll see you tonight."


	11. Chapter 11

Spike goes down mindlessly for her 123rd pushup, ignoring the sweat beads that have begun trickling. She shakes her head angrily, and sweat drips onto the mat below her.

"What is wrong, Sarah?"

Spike glances up, becoming aware of Master Splinter's presence. "Nothin'."

He cocks his head and flicks his tail. "Really?"

"Sure."

"Stand up."

Spike slowly rises, looking down the many feet between her and the rat.

"There is pain in your face. Speak, my daughter." Splinter leans forward on his stick compassionately.

Spike runs her hand over her face as the words sink in. _My daughter._

She sits, heavily, not rolling back on her shell this time. "Master Splinter….I don't think you'd understand," she says lamely.

"Why? Because I was never human?" Splinter asks quietly. "I do not know the pain of living one life, and being removed from it?"

Spike leans forward, letting her bandanna tails hang. "To the rest of the world, I'm dead. Not even dead. I never existed. Donnie wiped all traces of my existence from every database in the world. Soon the only thing with my name on it will be the gravestone April's putting up."

Splinter's whiskers twitch.

"I was murdered," she says numbly. "And then brought back….as this." She holds her hands up, staring at the scaly palms.

Splinter lays his paw on Spike's hand. "What happened to you last night?"

Spike looks up. "I stopped the Purple Dragons. I was shot at. I realized…how cut off I am." _I will not tell him about Samantha._ "Xever was there. I've already faced Karai, and Stockman, and…." She shrugs. "I'm…I'm strong. I'm powerful. Yet…."

"You feel isolated," Splinter says.

"Yes." There was no point in denying it.

"You need not be." Splinter turns. "Come, child."

Spike follows Splinter out of the dojo, pausing.

Donatello looks up at her, smiling. "How many?"

"A hundred and twenty three," she said. "When are we headin' out?"

"Soon enough. April just got off work," he says. "Which means she should be down here in about an hour. Then we'll go get as much information as we can." He smiles. "Thrilling, isn't it?"

"Mission Impossible level, dude," Michelangelo says, petting Lily.

 ** _~Evil Takes Its Toll~_**

Spike paces the length of the living room for the sixtieth time, heel-toeing it.

"That's beginning to drive me nuts," Leonardo utters, sharpening his katanas.

Spike shoots him a venomous look, grasping the handle of her mace. "I need to move. I can't sit still. I gotta do _something._ Beat someone up or something."

"Join the club," a voice announces. Casey Jones twirls his hockey stick as April and Irma walk up behind him. "Let's go stomp some Foot."

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, and I'll see you guys next time!**


	12. Chapter 12

Spike peers down at the building. "Are you sure this is the right spot, Don?"

"Yes."

Leonardo puts down the binoculars. "Alright, here's the plan. We get in, we get out with information. This is a recon, guys. _Stealth_ is necessary." He glances at Raphael, Michelangelo, and Spike. "Got it?"

Raphael crosses his arms. Michelangelo nods.

"Reading human life forms in the building, as well as Kraang presence. Nothing else that we recognize," Donatello whispers.

"Alright team, let's go," Leonardo says.

They pull out their grappling hooks and fire.

 ** _~Evil Takes Its Toll~_**

Spike quietly opens the window and rolls inside, glancing around the dark room.

Irma slides in behind her, followed by April, and then Casey. Donatello opens the window further and climbs in. "Security has been disabled," he whispers.

"Great." Leonardo slips inside. "Let's go."

Donatello's blinking, flashing gear makes him easy to spot, but the rest of them are almost impossible to see in the darkness.

A sharp noise filled the air: the sound a sword makes as it's drawn.

A cry of pain and surprise pierces the air.

"Mikey!"

Spike spins. "Mikey?"

Something moves beside her, and Spike turns again as something sharp comes down on her shoulder. She hisses and turns, reaching out. She grabs something that feels like an arm.

A large hairy arm.

Spike yanks it forward and reaches for a face. "Donnie, lights!" She punches at where the torso of the whatever-it-was should be.

The lights flick on, blindingly bright, and she takes in what they were fighting.

Looking oddly bright in the chrome laboratory, standing at almost seven feet, is a broad, bipedal tiger, wielding a sword.

The tiger cocks his head at Spike. "Good, for a child," he says. He reaches out and wraps his paw around her throat. Spike becomes very aware of his claws as her shoulder drips blood onto the floor below her.

Leonardo drops down, katana flashing and the tiger howls, dropping Spike, who lands and charges him, turning her shoulder into him.

Casey rushes to assist, and the three of them knock the tiger to the floor.

"Who are you?" Leonardo demands.

The tiger grins, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. "I am called Tiger Claw," he says. Spike notes the Japanese accent.

Michelangelo rises from the floor, looking up from his cut hand. "I'm alright," he calls, pulling out his nunchucks. "I'm okay!"

"You won't be soon enough," a croaking voice says. The Newtralizer steps into the room, followed by Xever.

The turtles press together with the humans on the inside.

"Let's give them a fight, guys," Raphael growls.

"Cowabunga!" Michelangelo shouts.

Battle commences.

 **Thanks so much for reading, guys! Please, leave a review to let me know what you think, it really helps me. As always, I'll see you next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

Spike lunges for Tiger Claw, smashing her shoulder into the large torso of the mutant. He roars and slashes his claws down across her plastron. She grimaces, then ducks a sword swipe, retrieving her battle flail grimly.

"That is not the weapon of a ninja," Tiger Claw notes. "I thought _he_ was the brute." He nods at Raphael, who is engaged in battle with Newtralizer.

"We take turns," Spike grits.

Donatello comes down on Tiger Claw's back, reaching for a choke hold. Tiger Claw grabs at something from his belt and pulls it on Donatello.

"Don, he's got a gun!" Spike howls.

Donatello dives out of the way, but the blast of energy released powers past him, hitting Leonardo square in the plastron.

The leader goes down.

"Leo!" Michelangelo breaks away from the fight with Newtralizer. "Speak to me, bro!" He kneels by Leonardo. "Donnie?"

"He's still breathing," Donatello gasps, blocking a sword thrust with his staff.

Spike kicks at Tiger Claw's knee in anger, then drives her elbow into his chest. She goes up, cracking her shell against the elbow of the big cat. Tiger Claw grunts and drops the gun.

Tiger Claw rebounds, furiously smashing the hilt of his sword against her forehead. She staggers back, dizzy.

"Spike!" April shouts.

Raphael turns. "Spike! Get out of there!"

Spike lands on her backside, scooting out of the way of Tiger Claw's kick.

A voice rang out.

"ENOUGH!"

Karai stands in the doorway, obviously seething. "Look at them." She gestures at Leonardo, and turns to Tiger Claw with a steely glint in her eye. "Leave us."

"On whose authority?" Tiger Claw challenges.

"Mine," Karai says, staring him down.

"You are not leader of the Foot clan yet," Tiger Claw thunders warningly. "Do not overstep your boundaries."

"Or what?"

"Or I shall turn you in to the Shredder for treachery," Tiger Claw says. "You protect the enemy?!"

Karai pales slightly. "I would have thought that you would see the dishonor in slaughtering innocent, defenseless people." Her eyes land on Spike, who looks dazedly up at her.

"All for the glory of the Foot clan!" Tiger Claw roars. "Xever, take care of this traitor!"

Xever shoves Irma to the floor as he takes Karai's arm. Karai turns, smashing the heel of her hand into his forehead, and then elbowing his chest. In seconds, Xever has released his hold.

"Go," Karai calls. "Take your leader." Newtralizer starts for her.

Raphael picks Leonardo up, heading for the window. "C'mon, guys!"

Spike looks back at the last moment, watching Karai struggle in Newtralizer's grip. Something pricks at her conscience, but then Michelangelo grabs her arm and pulls her up on top of the building, leaving the conflicted criminal to her fate.

 **Thanks for reading you guys! Please, leave a review to let me know what you think, it helps me more than you'd think. As always, I'll see you next time!**


	14. Chapter 14

Spike and Raphael carry Leonardo into the lair while Donatello walks beside them, fiddling with his goggles and checking Leonardo's vitals.

"He's suffered a severe burn to the plastron," Donatello says worriedly. "It was a powerful blast of energy!"

"Is he gonna be okay?" Michelangelo asks, walking backwards ahead of them. He peers anxiously at Leonardo. "Leo, bro, you gotta be okay!"

Irma walks on Leonardo's other side. "His temperature has dropped a little, Donnie."

"I see it," Donatello says tensely. "Lay him down in the lab, guys."

Splinter joins them, laying a hand on Leonardo's forehead. "My son." He looks up at Donatello. "How did this happen?"

"A big tiger dude with a blaster nailed Leo," Casey says. "He had a sword and stuff too. He's really tough."

"Leo's gonna be just fine," Spike says, setting him down. "Of course he will be. He's Leonardo. He's gonna make it."

Raphael brushes her shoulder. "Yeah. Let's just get out of Don's way, okay?"

Spike turns, opens her mouth to argue, and then stops. "Okay." She slumps slightly as she exits the lab before she remembers.

 _Samantha._

She straightens. "I'll….uh, be going, okay? I need some space."

"Where are you going?" April asks. "Be careful! Don't let anyone-"

Spike disappears into the sewers.

"-See you," April finishes.

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Spike crouches on the fire escape just above Samantha's room, peering down at the warm glow of the room. Her chest tightens as she feels a longing for warmth, safety…

 _Or for Leonardo's wellbeing._

Samantha opens the window and looks out, looking mildly disappointed. "Where are you, Spike?"

Spike hooks her legs around the fire escape and swings down slowly. "Here."

Samantha jumps, and laughs. "Hi!"

Spike cocks her head. "Hi."

Samantha leans forward and touches the hanging bandana tails, and then frowns. "You're hurt!"

Spike glances at her shoulder, which has stopped oozing blood. The cut remains. "Oh, it's nothin'. I'll be fine real soon. I heal fast, don't worry."

"Who hurt you?"

"A big dude with a sword," Spike explains. "I'm okay."

"Wanna come in?" Samantha pushes the window up further.

Spike eyes the gap. "I dunno…"

"Please?"

Spike looks down at her, reminded of her sister Molly. "For a minute."

Samantha backs up as Spike gently sidles her way inside. She crouches on the floor in the room, shaking slightly from the January evening chill.

"How're you?" Samantha asks, grinning.

"Okay. You?"

"I'm great. It's really cool, I mean, superheroes in New York? That's great!"

"Ever see _The Avengers_?" Spike asks dryly.

Samantha nods. "Yeah. You're real though."

A door opens. "Sam, you here? I'm home!"

Spike freezes and turns, smacking into the window frame. She scrambles to her feet in an attempt to escape from the apartment.

A woman with dyed purple hair enters the room, looking tired. "Hey, Sam, you'll never believe what happen-"

She stares at Spike.

Spike's eyes widen. _Great. Just great._

 **Thanks for reading, guys, please review to let me know what you thought! It helps me out a lot. As always, I'll catch you guys next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

"Angie! It's okay!" Samantha shouts, standing in front of Spike and throwing her arms out. If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, it would have been almost comical, this tiny girl attempting to protect the six foot walking heap of shell and muscle.

Spike raises her hands. "Look, uh, I'll just be on my way…."

"What are you, and what are you doing here?" the woman demands reaching for Samantha's arm. She grabs her and hauls her over.

"Angel, she's nice," Samantha protests.

Spike spreads her arms. "Look. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Answer my questions," Angel says forcefully.

"I'm a mutant turtle-human hybrid," Spike says slowly. "And I'm here because Samantha here asked me to come."

Angel stares down at Samantha, who squirms in her grasp. "She rescued me, Angel! From Purple Dragons!"

Angel spins her. "You were attacked by Purple Dragons?!"

Samantha nods. "And she saved me! Her name's Spike, and she's nice."

Angel glances curiously up at Spike, who remains frozen with her hands up. "A mutant turtle-human hybrid?"

"You know how it is." Spike shrugs. "Get stabbed, get mutated, here I am. It's a long story."

Angel eyes her belt. "What's with the weapons and mask? You some kind of vigilante?"

"You could say that," Spike admits. "Ninja type gig."

"Not a very good ninja," Angel remarks.

Spike taps her shell. "Window's too small."

"She fought Xever, Angel," Samantha whispers loudly.

"Xever?" Angel glances up at Spike again. "You fought him?"

"And beat him, yeah."

Angel's jaw drops. "Seriously?"

Spike shrugs and folds her massive arms. "Yeah. But now more about you. What's the scoop with you and Sam here? This is a Purple Dragon hotspot. It's not safe for a kid."

"Not many people that live in this neighborhood _want_ to live here," Angel says grimly. "We have no other choice. We're scraping by here. I'd like to get out of here, or help clean up the streets, but I can't do anything."

"Spike can. She can clean up the streets," Samantha insists.

"Look, I appreciate your faith in my abilities, but not even _Batman_ was everywhere at once," Spike says. "I can't possibly get rid of _all_ crime in the area by myself, even if I was to storm the Dragons HQ."

"Batman had help," Samantha says. "Lots of sidekicks." She glances at Angel. "You could be one."

Angel looks at her. "What?"

"She could teach you how to fight, and you could help her!" Samantha's face lights up from excitement. "She could start a resistance force!"

"Now-" Angel begins. She stops and frowns as she thinks about it. "That's not a bad idea."

Spike raises her finger. "I'm not sure if this is a great idea. I mean, what if one of you got hurt?"

Angel looks at her, hard. "Living where we are, that's not unexpected."

Spike thinks back to her first months with the turtles, their concerns about her own safety. She looks back at Angel, studying the sturdy, hard looking woman. "You know, what the heck. Let's go for it."

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you folks next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

Angel crosses her arms. "And the reason you're training me on top of the roof is….?"

"Number one, we're a lot less likely to be seen." Spike turns and gestures. "I can't exactly get caught looking like Gamera."

Samantha sits in the direct center of the apartment building's rooftop. "So what are you doing first?"

Spike turns and eyes Angel. "Any experience in physical training of any kind?"

Angel shrugs. "A little."

"We'll need to work on that. Combat training?"

"I went to a self defense class a couple of times. That's it."

Spike peers up into the night sky. "Well, we'll get working. You'll be capable soon enough." She turns. "Now the number one rule is: 'You get what you work for, not what you wish for'. So we'll be working hard."

Angel nods. "That's fine by me. I think it'd be wiser for us to start with the overall physical training before we actually start combat."

"Probably. One of the things you're going to need in a fight is endurance. A good, strong heart that will enable you to keep going, keep pushing through it," Spike explains. "A good cardiovascular system is imperative."

Angel nods, putting her hands on her hips. "So what is your point?"

"We're starting with some power cardio."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Half an hour later, Angel sits down, wiping sweat off of her forehead, but smiling. "Nice. Very nice."

Spike stands, smiling. "Good job."

"You didn't even break a sweat," Angel complains.

"I broke a little one," Spike corrects. "It's one of the small positive side effects to being an outcast of society."

Angel freezes. "Sorry."

"No problem." Spike crouches.

"You don't act at all like a mutant monster," Angel says. She laughs. "Sorry, that sounded super rude. I expected you to act…otherworldly or something."

"I was human," Spike explains. "And even if I wasn't, I live on Earth. I'm just a person with an exceptionally freaky exterior."

Angel looks at her. "Hm. So, where do people with exceptionally freaky exteriors live?"

"Anywhere they can," Spike answers vaguely, deciding to _not_ mention her friends. She stands. "Same time tomorrow, Angel?"

Angel nods, grinning. "Sure."

Spike rests her hand on Samantha's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

Samantha nods.

Spike salutes and takes off over the building tops again.

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

She skids to a halt when she runs into a familiar face. "Skye?"

"Thought you'd seen the last of me, huh?" Skye turns and crosses her arms, shaking her head. "They've got a nice tombstone up for you in the cemetery, by the way. Tragic, really. How young you all died."

Spike glares. "Yes, well I'm not dead, am I?"

"No one knows that but a few people, though. Vern thinks you're dead, did you know that?" Skye turns on her heel and paces along the top of the building.

"Enough of this," Spike growls, reaching forward and grabbing Skye's shoulders. "Who _are_ you?"

Skye shakes her head, smiling gently. "You haven't guessed yet?" Skye's brown hair shortens, and scars materialize on the side of her face.

Spike's eyes widen and she steps back, letting go. "Wh…what?"

"I'm you, girl. In my world, I met the guys in the year 2012," 'Skye' explains. She pulls a small device out of her pocket. "This projects the image I wanted you to see. Shall we take the disguise off completely?" She presses a button, and immediately, her image wavers to be replaced with that of a mutant turtle, a good deal smaller than Spike herself. "See?"

"So….you're here to _warn_ me about stuff that happens to _you?_ " Spike asks.

"No. I'm here to make sure your universe doesn't collapse. The Kraang in my world are pressing through barriers between universes. Reality is seeping through the cracks. That's why you have those dreams, remember?"

Spike steps back. "I….I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything."

"Should I still call you Skye? I mean, this is…boy, this is whacked." Spike rubs the back of her head.

"Sure, still call me that." Skye turned the machine back on, and the more familiar image flickered back. "I think you should get back. I believe you're needed."

 **Thanks for reading, guys. Please let me know what you think of the recent developments in a review! It really makes my day. As always, I'll see you next time.**


	17. Chapter 17

Spike turns and dashes to the nearest manhole cover after these words, mind flickering back to Leonardo after he'd been hit. He couldn't die, could he? How would the team function without it's leader?

She wasn't about to find out. She gritted her teeth as she made her way through the sewers, bursting into the lair. "How is he?"

No answer. No one was inside the living room. She carefully approaches the lab and creaks the door open. "Don?"

Donatello glances up and smiles. "Spike, hello. Uh, he'll be….okay. He is going to be just fine," he assures her.

"Are you just sayin' that, or are you serious?" Spike asks, stepping inside.

"Come ask me for yourself," Leonardo's voice says from a little ways down.

Spike weaves around Donatello, smiling. "Hey, Captain."

"Hey. Where'd you go?" Leonardo asks. He moves to push himself up into a sitting position on the cot and grimaces.

"Out for some air."

"Because you're so squeamish," he says, settling. He moves his arm, revealing the scorch mark in the plastron. He notices her glancing at it. "It'll heal."

Spike shakes her head. "This Tiger Claw is almost as tough as the Shredder."

"I know." Leonardo frowns. "They're getting stronger. More collected. Who knows what they'll unleash?"

"And what will become of the human race?" Spike asks softly.

Donatello moves next to her. "Well, we won't have to worry about that, because we'll stop them."

Spike nods. "Yeah."

A ringing noise echoes through the lair. Spike fumbles for her phone, awkward with her larger hands. She answers. "April?"

April's voice is rushed. "Spike! You have to come back to the apartment!"

"What? Why? Calm down, April, what's going on?" Spike asks, frowning.

"It's Karai! Karai's here! You need to come here now!"

April hangs up.

Spike turns with a grim look. "I'll be back guys. It's a busy night."

She heads back into the dark.

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Spike bursts through the fire escape door, with her mace out. "April!" She turns and glances through the ransacked apartment. A cold hand grips her large heart. "April, where are you?"

"In here!" April's voice was muffled by the bedroom door.

Spike throws open the door of what used to be her room, to see April standing by a new bed, with Irma on the other side, busy with a microscope.

"What's going on?" Spike demands. "Where's Karai?"

"She's right here. She wants to speak with you," April says, turning. She gestures at the bed, looking worried.

Spike cautiously crosses to the bed and looks down.

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot! As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	18. Chapter 18

It was Karai, all right.

Spike bends to face the woman. "What's going on here?"

Karai turns her head, eyes wide and not…quite…human. Larger pupils, almost….reptilian.

"Sanchez," she rasps. "Look at me."

Spike nods. "I see you. What….what's going on?"

Karai raises her head off of the pillow and runs her hand over her head, looking in resignation as her hair simply slides off, revealing a bald, scaly skull. "Mutation," she murmurs. "This was my punishment."

"For what?"

"For realizing it was wrong. I was wrong. The Foot is wrong. I heard what you said, and I looked around me and saw slaughtered innocents, children without parents, all in my bloody past. I tried to help you." She slides herself upright. "This is the price I paid. Tiger Claw took me to the Kraang to be an experiment subject." She brings her arm from under the blanket, revealing the long appendage. She clutches Spike's hand with something that is still recognizably a hand, with long, flexible fingers. "There are so many experiment subjects. Children. Teenagers. Adults. All being turned into monsters like us. I was lucky enough to escape, but I couldn't bring them with me. I…." She convulses with pain. "We must save them."

"When this is over, we will," Spike says.

"I knew you would help," Karai whispers. "You and I, we are warriors. I know how you think. I should have listened."

Spike shakes her head. "You did in the end."

"After I caussssssed all that pain." She grimaces as she hisses, revealing a forked tongue. "They turned me into a ssssssnake."

Irma glances up. "King Cobra and Python DNA mixed together in the mutagen. She's going to be dangerous, Spike."

"Then you'd better get back," Spike mutters. "April, get out. Take Irma."

April takes Irma's arm. "Let's go. This could get messy."

Irma silently follows her friend out, looking back only once.

The door closes behind her, leaving Spike behind with the ex-villain.

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Thirty minutes later, Karai's thrashing knocks the blanket to the floor, revealing that where her torso ends, a long snake tail continues, thick as Spike's waist had been as a human. Even her torso was different, scaly, flat, and very flexible. The only human thing about it was her arms.

Karai's head remains mostly human, eyes and tongue being the primary changes, as well as loss of all hair.

A shuddering sigh passes through Karai's body.

"Is it done?" Spike asks.

Karai slowly sits straight, looking with her serpent eyes at Spike. "I think ssssso." She closes her eyes.

"You have fangs," Spike points out.

"Poissssoned," Karai whispers. She raises her head. "What do I do now?"

Spike stands up. "We're takin' you to the lair. Splinter'll know what to do."

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out more than you know. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 19

"You want me to carry you?" Spike asks.

Karai pushes herself off of the bed, lying flat on the floor before raising what was her torso and a good length of her lower half up off the ground. "I'll be okay."

Spike crosses quickly to the door and opens it, sticking her head out and smelling before seeing April in the semi-darkness. "April, I'm takin' Karai to the lair, okay?"

April turns to her. "We'll come, of course."

"Yeah." Irma stands. "Should someone call Jones?"

"I will." April reaches for her cell phone. "You guys go, I'll follow."

Spike opens the window and climbs out on the fire escape, turning to watch Karai carefully slide out herself. "You sure you don't need help?"

"I mussssssst do thisss mysssself," Karai says determinedly as Irma clambers out behind her cautiously.

Spike nods. "Alright then." She climbs up the fire escape, glancing behind her as Karai slithers quickly, if bumpily, up the stairs, reaching the top seconds behind her. "Can you jump?"

Karai slithers back a little, glancing at the gap.

Spike wraps her huge arm around Karai, and wraps the other one around Irma, backing up. Karai hisses and squirms.

Spike glares down at the snake woman and snaps her large teeth, tightening her grip. "Shush. We've gotta make it somehow." She backs up and jumps to the next building. "Hang on."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

"Splinter!" Spike shouts, stepping into the living room area holding Karai. "Splinter?"

"He's meditating," Michelangelo says, eyes glued to the television screen. "What's up?"

Raphael looks up from sharpening his sais and bolts to his feet. "What in the-"

"Before you bite my head off, I can explain," Spike says brusquely as Irma strides past her. "Karai has been subjected to Kraang mutagen experiments for trying to save our shells."

Raphael steps in front of her, eyeing the mutant in her arms. "Now slow down. How do you know it ain't a trick?"

"Does this look like a trick?" Spike snaps, glowering. "She's _clearly_ mutated."

"It might have been planned," Raphael says. "To plant her here."

"Let me talk to Splinter," Spike says. "He'll know what to do."

"Yeah." Raphael turns away. "Not let her in here would be a good guess."

"I undersssssstand why you think thissss would be a trick," Karai says, raising her head. "I have been an enemy of yourssss for ssssome time."

Spike lets go of Karai with one arm and grabs Raphael's shoulder. "I'm askin' you to get Splinter. Trust me, Red."

Raphael turns. "It's not you I don't trust." He stalks towards the dojo. "Mikey, get Don."

Michelangelo stands up, having watched the whole exchange, and walks to the door of the lab. "Donnie, Leo, there's something you guys need to see!"

In the lab, Donnie presses Leonardo's shoulder down. "Wait, will you?" He turns. "What is it, Mikey?"

"Spike brought Karai," Michelangelo whispers loudly.

Leonardo sits bolt upright, pushing against Donatello' hand. "What?!"

Irma presses her way in the crowded area behind Michelangelo. "She's mutated, Leo. Because she stood up to the Foot. They punished her because she fought back! I promise, we didn't just bring a supervillian-ess into the lair."

Leonardo grimaces as he swings his legs over the cot and stands. "Let's go have a talk with her, then, shall we?"

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, I really appreciate it. As always, I'll see you guys next time.**


	20. Chapter 20

Leonardo brushes off Donatello's attempts to help him to the living room, walking stiffly but upright.

Karai slips from Spike's arms and coils her tail until she is stable enough to balance upright. She bows her head respectfully.

Leonardo eyes her as Splinter enters the room. "Raphael tells me that you have brought us a guest."

Raphael appears behind him, arms crossed. "Or somethin'."

Spike shot daggers with her eyes at him. "Yes, Sensei."

Irma brings her microscope into the living room. "She is stable, now. Are you cold?"

Karai doesn't respond.

"'Course she is," Spike utters. "She's cold-blooded now, it's the end of January, and we're in the sewers of New York."

"I know," April's voice echoes as she jogs in, holding a cloak. "I remember stuff." She cautiously approaches Karai before draping the cloak around her shoulders.

Casey rushes in behind her, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back. "Stand clear, Red. She's with the Foot, remember?"

Karai whips around and eyes Casey, forked tongue flickering. "I shall not harm her. This I swear."

Spike pats her shoulder. "We know."

Splinter approaches Karai. "You have been through much, haven't you?"

Karai nods.

"You began to change before this happened, I've heard." Splinter thinks for a moment. "You may stay here, but I am making you Sarah's responsibility. Remain with her at all times if possible," he says, voice growing stern. "Follow her instructions."

Karai bows. "Hai." She raises her head, eyes still on the ground. "I thank you for your mercy."

Spike nods and claps Karai on the shoulder. "C'mon, I'll take you to my room."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Spike rummages through her boxes in what used to be Donatello's room. "You want the bed? I'll see if we can set up a cot for me."

"It would be foolish," Karai murmurs. "You are heavier, and the bed was clearly designed for a shell. Furthermore, I am the one on probation here, not you. I have to rebuild my honor."

Spike turns, raising an eye-ridge. "Y'know, honor's a big deal. I understand that. But I think you gotta rebuild your character before you rebuild your honor."

Karai begins coiling into a pile of blankets at the far end of the room. "Why did you show compassion?"

Spike stops. "I….I don't know, actually."

"Did you pity me?" Karai asks softly.

"A little. I know what it's like, mutation." Spike holds up her arm. "Not fun. Painful. It's being cast out of the human race."

"Fitting that to make up for my deedssss againssst the human race, I musssst protect them from the outsssside," Karai notes.

Spike shrugs and crouches. "Well, I wasn't a pleasant person either. Bit of a punk, really. I tried to play it tough, and I was practically a street kid, you know. I was a problem for April, who stuck by me despite the fact that I was a street fighter, beating the tar out of other people for money. I hated people, and by the time I got used to liking people, I died and turned into this."

Karai hisses quietly. "I once sssaid we were not sssso different. I sssee that I wassss perhapsss right."

"Yeah. Well, let's hit the hay, roomie."

 **Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys next chapter!**


	21. Chapter 21

Spike turns over in bed, listening to the hissing snoring noise Karai is emitting. She clamps a pillow over her ear, staring at her _Battlestar Galactica_ poster on the wall, trying to think of reasonably calming things that would hopefully be conducive to sleep.

She shuts her eyes, and immediately is flooded with images.

 _"_ _Watcha reading?"_

 _Spike glanced up. "Ancient Japanese Legends. I found the book in the dojo. Cool, huh?"_

 _The girl she was talking to couldn't have been older than seventeen. She wore heavy amounts of makeup, and had black hair that was dyed blonde at the bottom. The girl sat down beside her. "I suppose so. Maybe it's not as cool if you've been raised Japanese."_

 _Spike glanced at her. "I find all legends interesting. Well, not all of 'em. Some are just dumb."_

 _The girl nodded, staring intently at her legs as they began to fuse together. "Mmm." She straightened on them, it was now evident that they were a tail, and held out her hand. "I think it's Father's."_

 _"_ _I expected so." Spike handed the book back as the girl slithered across the room and placed it on a bookshelf. "You're adjusting well."_

 _"_ _You've all been kind." Her mouth twisted wryly. "Even Raphael."_

 _"_ _Red's a good guy," Spike said, stretching her legs out._

 _"_ _I don't think I made the greatest first impression."_

 _"_ _To be fair, you were trying to kill Leo when he first saw you."_

 _The girl laughed. "Oh, come on. If I had wanted to kill him, I would have." She curled her tail and settled on it. "As it is, I think he's had enough near misses with death, wouldn't you say?"_

 _"_ _You have no idea." Spike stood, brushing off the back of her shell. "How's the retro-mutagen hunting going?"_

 _"_ _Donnie can't help me," she says. "No one can."_

 _"_ _Don't say that, Karai- I mean Miwa," Spike said, stepping toward her. "I know we can restore you to humanity."_

 _Miwa shrugged. "It doesn't much matter anymore. I've grown used to it, as you have. You are perfectly content with your existence as a reptile."_

 _"_ _Only because I have nowhere else to go, no family, even my best friend abandoned me after I gained this condition," Spike said. "You-"_

 _"_ _My father himself is a mutant," Karai said. "Remember?"_

When Spike's eyes open again, the clock blinks out an insistent _8:30 A.M._

She rolls out of the bed and nudges Karai, who continues snoring.

Spike shakes her head and nudges again. "Yo. C'mon, we gotta go eat."

Karai's eyes snap open and she whips her head around, baring her fangs excitedly. She stops, looking mildly embarrassed.

"Don't worry 'bout it," Spike says, waving her hand. "Sometimes I do weird stuff too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Keep wanting to do this weird finger-wiggling thing." Spike shrugs as she yanks the door open. "Welcome to the start of a brand new day."

"Spike! Don ate all the poptarts again!" Michelangelo hollers from the kitchen.

"I did not!"

"Well, you ate all the icing off, and they're no good without the icing!"

Spike groans. "It's too early for this." She trudges to the kitchen as Karai follows her awkwardly. "Don, stop doing that."

"I was out of coffee!"

"I don't _care._ This is a tragedy beyond all others," Spike says, looking dejectedly at the box.

"Isss it alwaysss like thisss?" Karai whispers.

Spike sighs. "Always."

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

Spike elbows her way through the brothers on her way to the kitchen, Karai slithering behind her. "Right, so what do you want? I think the stove's workin' again, so we got eggs…." She cranes her neck. "Don, did you fix the stove?"

"Yes!"

"Great."

"Well…I think so." Donatello scratches his head. "Wait…..yeah, yeah it's fixed!"

Spike nods, opening the refrigerator door. "Who ate the bacon?"

"You snooze, you lose," Raphael rumbles from the end of the kitchen table, stuffing another slice of the meat candy into his mouth.

Spike plants her hands on her hips. "Thanks."

He shrugs and continues eating.

Spike rolls her eyes and turns back. "So, Karai…anything look appetizing?"

Leonardo limps into the kitchen, trying to keep himself standing tall. "Good morning."

"Mornin', Leo," Spike says, digging through a bag full of fruit.

"Uh, how did you sleep, Karai?" Leonardo asks awkwardly.

Karai nods. "Well enough."

"That is good to hear," Splinter says, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Karai's tail twitches and she nods.

Spike rips open a package of sausage. "This'll help. Snakes like meat n' stuff, right?" She places some in the pan. "Perfect. Guys, let me know if it starts to burn. C'mon, Karai." She leads the former villainess to the dojo, glancing around. "Right, and uh, this is the dojo, where we will most likely be training and stuff." She turns, looking sober. "You said you were experimented on in a lab by the Kraang?"

"Yessss."

"With many other people," Spike says. "Correct?"

Karai nods. "Outcastsss and orphansss, mosssstly. The idea wasss to find the unwanted and use them."

Spike rubs her chin. "Could you find the lab again?"

"Oh yessss. The Foot often dropped prisonerssss there." Karai coils her tail.

"We're going there today," Spike says. "Right after breakfast, as a matter of fact. We need to bust them out.

"You plan to organize a jailbreak?" Karai asks.

"Bingo." Spike scratches her head. "Now, I need as much information about the base as possible. Guards?"

"Yessss. Ssseveral."

"Great." Spike rubs her hands together. "Perfect. I'm gonna need you to take me."

"You do not wish to involve the othersss?"

Spike shakes her head. "Not right now. They still don't trust you for one thing, and for another, it might be dangerous."

"Yessss, they look ssso helplessss," Karai says dryly.

Spike chuckles. "Well, anyway, we'll head out soon enough."

"Spike?" Michelangelo calls.

"What's up, Mikey?"

"Remember what you said, about the sausage maybe burning?"

"Yeah?"

"It's kinda black."

"MIKEY!" Spike howls.

"Sorry!"

Spike turns to Karai. "I hope you like your sausage well done."

Karai smiles, baring her fangs slightly. "It doesssn't matter." She turns. "But we must get those people. If we do not, the Kraang will terminate them, or brainwash them. The Foot needsss a ssstable army of mutants. The Kraang will ssssupply them with the army, in exchange for use of this planet after Foot domination. It'sss only jussst beginning."

"And in the end, they will destroy each other rather than give up power," Spike says.

"At the expense of whoever getsss in the way."

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me a lot. As always, I'll see you guys next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

"I'm takin' Karai out," Spike calls, striding towards the lair exit.

"You make it sound like she's a dog," Donatello notes.

"Nah, we're just hangin' out up top. I'm tired of the sewer air," Spike lies. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Sure. When you come back, I wanna show Karai all my music tracks," Michelangelo shouts from the living room.

"Be careful," Splinter says cautiously.

"Keep out of sight," Leonardo advises.

"An' don't start any fights without us," Raphael says.

"Will do," Spike says, edging out. "C'mon, Karai."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

"You sure that's the spot?" Spike asks, peering at the empty office building from the roof of the building to the left.

Karai nods. "Come with me." She slithers over to it and pokes her head down, looking for a window. "Here." She pulls her head back up. "I can't open it."

Spike leans over. "Hold my legs."

Karai extends a coil of her tail and wraps it around Spike's ankles as the turtle jumps over the side backwards, smashing shell-first into the window.

"Let go!" Spike shouts, rolling through.

Karai releases her hold, only to have her tail grabbed and drug through by it.

Alarms go off, lights turn on, and the blinding whiteness of the room flares to life. Spike squints. "Where to?"

"Thissss way!" Karai slithers out the door and down the hallway.

Spike sniffs the air as she jogs behind Karai. "Somethin's comin'," she says shortly. "Duck."

Karai lowers her head as Spike leaps over her, barreling shoulder-first into Slash. The other turtle roars as she pins him against the wall. Karai hisses and slithers up Slash's body, wrapping her tail around his throat.

Slash grips her tail, struggling for air. Spike rears back and smashes her elbow into his face. The huge mutant slumps, unconscious.

"Let 'im go, let's move," Spike says.

Karai slides off Slash and moves back down the hallway, glancing from right to left. "Next floor down," she says.

"Right." They reach the top of the stairs, where Foot soldiers mixed amid clumsier Kraang droids march up the stairs. Karai freezes and Spike glances down the stair case. "You trust me?"

"Of coursssse."

"Great." Spike charges, barreling through the Foot soldiers, and avoiding the blaster bolts fired from Kraang blasters. She rips a metal head off and uses it to stuff the barrel of it's gun. The fingers automatically flex, blowing the body to bits. She turns and jerks her head. "Karai, c'mon!"

Karai snakes down the steps, weaving between enemies as they reach a platform to the next floor. "In here, I think!"

"Okay!" Spike smashes two Foot soldier's heads together and drops them before wading through the rest, fighting her way to Karai's position.

Karai paws at the door handle in frustration, hissing. Spike grabs the handle and twists it sharply, snapping the handle off. She turns and throws it, smashing it into a Kraang's brain as another platoon rushes up the stairs. Karai smashes the door open and slithers inside, grabbing Spike's wrist.

Spike follows her inside, slamming the metallic door shut and immediately searches for a table to barricade the door with. As she turns, though, she catches sight of the rest of the room and forgets all about the door for a moment.

 **Thanks so much for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys next time!**


	24. Chapter 24

Spike gapes at the rows and rows of huge tubes, each containing a figure. "Oh my word."

Two human forms in the middle of the room turn away from another strapped to a table.

"NO!" Baxter Stockman shrieks. "I thought you said this was impenetrable!""

Eric Sacks barely opens his mouth before Spike bears down on him, picking him up by the throat and slamming him into the door.

"Foot Clan, this is Spike Sanchez," she thunders. "Some of you may remember me. I have your boss, or one of them, up against this door. You come in here, and _I_ get to dissect the _scientist._ "

Silence fell on the other side.

"Glad we're clear." Spike carelessly shoves Sacks towards Karai. "Hold this."

"Karai?" Stockman mutters. "How did….what are you doing here? With her?"

"Shut up," Spike says. She peers around him at the form still tied to the experiment board. "What in…..What have you done?"

"He was a teenage thief," Stockman says with sick pride. "And now look."

"I'm looking all right." Spike turns her eyes on him. "That's not a man. That's a red wolf."

"We call him Dreadmon," Sacks chokes out smugly.

Karai turns back to Sacks and bares her teeth.

The wolf's eyes snap open and he growled.

Spike holds out her hand. "Listen up. We're here to rescue you. Stay calm, got it, wolf boy?" She turns and pulls out her old mace. "Alright, Stockman, which button releases 'em?"

"They're unstable-"

" _Which button?_ " Spike growls.

"There is no set button that releases all of them," Stockman says. "It's all manual!"

"Karai, can you hold onto this one too?" Spike asks.

"Allow me," the wolf boy says. He struggles with the metal bars holding him down.

"Dreadmon?" Spike asks. The wolf nods. "You got it." Spike grabs a bar and yanks, bending the metal enough for Dreadmon to squirm through. Spike lets Stockman go, and the wolf pounces on him, keeping him pinned.

"Thanks." Spike strides to the first chamber, examining the glass. "Where's the button, or lever, or dial on this sucker?"

"I can't tell you! The Foot will have my head!" Stockman yelps.

"In a minute, that's all that's gonna be left of you!"

"Ssssspike, we haven't time for thissss," Karai says.

"You're right." Spike turns and smashes, shoulder first, into the compartment. She shakes the animal inside it. "Mutant Jaguar."

"Jagwar," Dreadmon calls. "Come! They are friends!"

The huge cat raises it's head and looks at Spike. It licks it's lips.

"Don't even think about eating me," Spike warns him. She stands. "Right. I need you to see if you can smash open the other containers. We're stagin' a jailbreak, people!"

She turns and bashes open another door, catching a scaly form as it falls out. "Hi, how are you?" the lizard says drowsily.

Spike hauls her to her feet. "What's your name?"

"I'm…..Mona. My name is Mona Lisa," the woman says, standing on her own now. She looks into Spike's face and gasps.

 _Mona Lisa._

"I know, I know, I'm a hideous mutant freak," Spike says callously. "And I'm saving your life. I also need your help."

 **Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter! (Happy late Thanksgiving!)**


	25. Chapter 25

Spike slaps open her phone as mutants bustle about her. "This is Sanchez, calling Leatherhead. I repeat, Sanchez calling Leatherhead, we have a situation-"

"Ssssssssspike!"

Spike turns as the door slams open at last, and a human stands in the doorway. Purple Dragons flood the room and draw weapons, guns, knives, blunt instruments, loose odds and ends.

"The turtle's the ringleader!" the leader of the group shouts. "Get him!"

"Careful, friend!" a mutant duck shouts.

Spike laughs as the first spray of bullets hits her. "Really? Who are you?"

"I am leader of the Purple Dragons," the man declared.

"What happened to Xever?" Spike asks, keeping her tone light.

"Xever was forcibly removed from his position."

"You killed him," Spike says flatly.

The new leader of the Dragons does not respond.

"I asked you who you were, now I ask you for your name," Spike says. "I trust you will give me that as well."

"I am Hunter Mason, but you will call me Hun."

"Will I?" Spike crosses her huge arms in front of her plastron. "And for future reference, I'm a woman." She reaches out and snatches a shotgun out of a Dragon's hands and snaps it in half as a huge alligator smashes through the window. "Ah, Leatherhead, how good of you to join us."

The alligator clashes his teeth in a smile.

Spike turns. "Karai. We need to get these kids to a safe place. Leatherhead, I need you to help her get them all out."

Karai nods and throws Sacks into three of the Purple Dragons.

Spike turns and eyes the odds. For each Dragon, there are two Foot soldiers or Kraang droids. And then the scale tips in their favor as a mutant tiger pushes Hun aside and steps inside.

"Tiger Claw," Spike says courteously, ignoring the panic threatening to set in. "How nice to see you again."

"You may drop the pretense. You are no more glad to see me than I am to see you."

Spike shrugs. "Fair enough."

Tiger Claw draws his sword and thoughtfully eyes her.

"You're not going to stop them?" Spike asks, indicating the stream of mutants heading out the window.

"They are meaningless. Defective. Unreliable. If the Foot is to grow and dominate, it must be full of willing participants," Tiger Claw says. He swings his sword through the air, slashing close to Spike's head. With effort, she remains still as a small section from the tails of her bandanna falls past her shoulders. He traces her scars with his sword point, just touching the skin. "Curious that you live still," he says quietly.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer."

The last mutant, a gecko, leaps through the window and Spike draws her mace.

Tiger Claw holds his sword ready, and Spike notices the brass knuckles on each paw.

A familiar beeping noise fills the air, and a grappling hook fires into the room, April swiftly following it with her fan held high. Irma leaps in behind her, followed by-of all people- Vern Fenwick, and Casey Jones at last.

Casey's eyes fell on the new Chief Dragon, and his face twists into a snarl as recognition lights on the other man's face.

" _Hun._ "

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot! As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	26. Chapter 26

"You know him?" Irma asks.

Casey attacks Hun, skipping from hockey stick straight to baseball bat in an attempt to club the man's head in as Spike goes head-to-head with Tiger Claw.

"Wow. Spike. Uh….you look different," Vern remarks.

Spike smashes her forehead into Tiger Claw's chin. "Take out the bad guys, Vern."

Irma drives a dagger into a control panel on a Kraang droid as April deflects an attack from a Foot Soldier. Casey and Hun's battle degenerates into a rousing fistfight.

"Your friends are courageous. Foolish, but courageous," Tiger Claw concedes.

Spike swings her mace into his side and ducks a sword swipe, gritting her teeth. "Well, thanks. Thanks a lot."

Leatherhead leaps back through the hole he made in the wall, roaring ferociously. He snaps a Kraang droid in half with his teeth, and Vern stumbles back away from his Purple Dragon opponent. "Woah! Hey, O'Neil, your friends just get weirder, huh?"

April shrugs. "They're fun though." She kicks a Foot Soldier in the stomach and punches his eye.

Karai slides back through after Leatherhead and whips her tail around Hun's neck as the Dragon knocks Casey to the ground at last. Karai begins tightening her hold as she reaches down to help Casey stand.

Irma kicks the kneecap in of a Purple Dragon. "Spike, do you have a plan?"

Spike tumbles past, head over heels, then heels over head with Tiger Claw.

"That's a negative on the plan," April says, slicing open a Kraang.

Vern turns. "I've got an idea, and I realize I'm not in charge, or even with the group but-"

"Go ahead!" April shouts.

"Blow up the building," he suggests. "There's equipment here, although we don't know what it's being used for."

"It's probably bad," Casey says, standing and smacking a hockey puck into a Foot soldier's face. "Irma!"

"I'm on it," Irma says, pushing her way through the fallen. "Casey, I need one of your dynamite pucks!"

Casey digs in the pockets in his belt, tossing Irma a puck with a fuse and packet taped to it. "Light 'em up, Irma." He turns and punches Hun in the face as Karai loosens her grip to go wrestle with a Foot Soldier.

Irma digs in her pocket and yanks out a matchstick box, striking one and lighting the edge of the fuse. "April, Jones, Spike, Vern, let's go!"

Spike reluctantly pushes Tiger Claw away and grabs Karai, leaping out the window after Leatherhead.

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

April wipes sweat off of her forehead as Irma tends to a cut on her arm, the one that had been broken. "Well, what was that about?"

Spike turns, pulling off her mask to mop up blood. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Donnie's cameras sensed a disturbance, and he called, telling us where you went," Irma says. She puts her hands on her hips.

"And you brought them," Spike nods at Casey and Vern. "Which brings up the question: how did you know that guy, Jones?"

Casey shrugs, raising a hand to an already-swelling eye. "I'd met him a few years ago. He kicked the tar out of me. He killed my mom."

April puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispers.

Vern puts his hands in his pockets. "I came because April got the call at work and said you were in trouble. I thought you'd moved, or if not, then at least _dead._ "

"I was," Spike says. "I appreciate it."

"So, what _was_ that lab being used for?" Irma asks suddenly.

All eyes fall on Karai and Spike.

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it gets me through the next chapter. As always, I'll see you next time!**


	27. Chapter 27

Karai's tongue flicks in and out and she glances at Spike, who crosses her arms. "The lab was being used as an experimental ground for cases like Karai. Subjects for the Kraang to mutate to their whim."

"It was empty," Irma points out.

"Karai was the last case," Spike lies. "We went to destroy the place."

"Well, you did," April says.

Spike settles back on her shell. "Vern, how's the arm?"

"Huh? Oh." He chuckles. "I forgot. It's fine now. I decided to come help more often, y'know. I kind of left you guys to deal with this by yourselves."

"We're fine," Spike says.

"You're dead," Vern retorts. "That doesn't look fine to me. I mean, the new skin is….very you, but you are still dead as far as the humans are concerned."

Spike shrugs. "It happens." She stands. "I need to get Karai home before Raph bursts a blood vessel or something, but…" She nods. "Thank you for coming to help. All of you." She turns. "Come on, Leatherhead."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

"Where did you take them?" Spike asks as they slog through the sewers.

Leatherhead raises his head. "My home. I had nowhere else close enough to return to you to assist."

Spike sniffs. "Let's go then. Chances are, they're terrified."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

She wasn't wrong. When they arrive at Leatherhead's territory, it's packed with silent, wide-eyed, frightened mutants.

When their eyes fell on Spike, their tongues were loosened.

"Sir, what's going on?"

"That's a woman."

"It is? I thought-"

"Seriously, turtle, what's going to happen to us?"

Spike holds up her hands and snaps her fingers as Leatherhead roars. "Quiet down. I understand, you're frightened and unsure of what to do. You were humans once, and you may have noticed some recent modifications."

A manta ray in the sewer water laughed. "Just a few of them."

Spike eyes him. "Yes. Well. Unfortunately, you can never return home in this condition, unless your families are extremely inclusive. While work is being done to return you to your previous forms, we don't have anything yet. That leaves us with a dilemma."

The lizard woman from before snaps her tail. "You think? What am I going to do? I had a biology major to get!"

Spike turns. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we have more urgent matters to attend to. I will make sure none of you go homeless or hungry, despite the fact that you may be living in the sewers."

A few wrinkled noses were her response.

"It's not as bad as you think," Spike admits. "Somehow we'll get through this."

"I would like to get vengeance on those that have done this to us," a fox says, drawing her knees up. "Show them to me, and I will fight them!"

Quacks, roars, and other noises second the opinion.

Karai taps Spike's shoulder.

Spike holds up her hand. "My associate would like to confer with me. Please hold on." She turns. "What is it?"

"Here we have an army at lassssst a match for our enemiessss," Karai hisses excitedly. "If they were to be trained, we could enter battle with the Foot clan, and even Tiger Claw would fall before usssss!"

Spike bites her lip.

"They obvioussssly wish to fight," Karai adds.

Spike turns to the group. "My friend and I have a proposition for you. If you will join us in our battle against those that have done this to you, we would be grateful. Please do not feel pressured."

A falcon screeched. "We will fight beside you, turtle and snake friends."

"All we need isssss to get you trained," Karai says happily. "Master Sanchez will help you."

Spike shoots her a dirty look. "Thanks, friend."

She inclines her head. "You are welcome."

 **Thanks for reading, guys! Please let me know what you all think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys next time.**


	28. Chapter 28

Spike enters the lair after having set up arrangements with Leatherhead for him to share his quarters. Being mutants themselves, the once-humans weren't as afraid of each other or Leatherhead as one might expect. They were resigned to their circumstances, but willing and ready to fight.  
"Where were you, man?" Michelangelo asks, throwing down his comic book. He stands. "Leo and Raph are gonna kill you!"  
"Good luck with that," Spike says idly. "I seem to be cursed with the ability to not die."  
Leonardo hobbles in, leaning against the doorway and frowning. "You're late."  
"We had an incident."  
Karai curls up in a ball by the sofa and eyes Lily, who advances towards her, unconcerned by the snake girl's appearance.  
Raphael fills the entrance behind Leonardo. "What kind of incident? Don said you were invading a lab, in the daytime, where you know we can't go easily. They had helicopters patrolling there! Then you blew the whole thing up."  
Spike shrugs. "The important thing is that they won't be mutating any more people from there anyway. And I have news. Xever is dead."  
"Dead?" Donatello asks. "Did you…." He draws his finger across his throat.  
"No. Someone else did. A man who calls himself Hun. Evidently he's got a history with Casey." Spike sits down.  
"But you blew up the building," Michelangelo says. "Are they still alive?"  
"Ssssssssomething tellsssssss me we will sssssee them again," Karai utters as Lily climbs up on top of her. "Tiger Claw issss not to be underessstimated."  
"I get the feeling you're right," Leonardo says, sitting down with some effort. "Why New York City? Why…..why must this be their foothold?" He rubs his forehead. "Why do we have to deal with it?"  
"Because we're the only ones who can," Raphael says. He smacks his brother's shoulder. "Don't give up now."  
Michelangelo hits a button on a stereo. "Cheer up guys." Hip-hop music fills the lair. "I'm gonna show Karai my mad breakdancing skills."  
"The last time you showed anyone those particular skills, you broke Irma's glasses," Donatello points out.  
Michelangelo shrugs. "You fixed them, though."  
"That's not the point."  
"Hurrah for duct tape," Spike says, pointing at the layers of the material wrapped around the noseband of Donatello's own eyewear. "Works on glasses, and stubborn turtle's shells." She glances pointedly at Raphael.  
"It works in a pinch."  
She shrugs. "Vern came too, today."  
Donatello turns. "Vern? Wasn't he…?"  
"What? Was he what?" Spike asks.  
"Wasn't he….." he gestures. "You know…..interested in April or something?"  
"Yeah," Spike says, frowning at the memory.  
"Will that cause…friction between he and Casey?"  
"Don, let me tell you something," Spike says, cracking her knuckles. "Vern knows what's good for him. What isn't good for him is going after April. I've made that very clear to him in the past, before I could throw shipping crates. Now that I can, what do you think are the odds of him pursuing a relationship with my best friend are, on the chance that I do find out?"  
Donatello thinks for a moment. "About-"  
"I don't need specifics," Spike cuts him off. "Round it."  
"Highly unlikely," Donatello says.  
"You're absolutely right."

Thanks for reading, guys! And a belated Merry Christmas.  
As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter, and don't forget to review. 


	29. Chapter 29

The next evening, a simple patrol took Leonardo and Raphael, Donatello and April (And Casey), and Irma, Michelangelo, and Vern above ground as Spike bailed out, explaining that she needed to take care of something with Karai.

Karai and Spike slog through the sewer water until they reach Leatherhead's quarters.

"How are you all faring?" Spike asks, leaning against the wall.

"Nobody has eaten each other," Leatherhead reports. "The warm bloods and the cold bloods have been separated."

"Great." Spike pushes off as Mona Lisa approaches her.

"Well? We've been scrounging for something decent to eat," she says. "What are your suggestions, oh wise one?"

"There's no need to get snappy," Spike says. "I have a plan."

~Evil Takes it's Toll~

"We're not in the wilderness," Spike says, squinting into the lights of New York from atop the apartment building. "I can't teach you to hunt in the normal sense. But there is something we can do for each other." She turns. "I know a guy who is rich and doesn't deserve it. He turned you into what you are today. I'll use his account to feed you as long as I can."

An artic fox shrugs. "Well and good, and thanks, I'm sure. When do we begin taking revenge?"

"Revenge is overrated," Spike says.

"You know this personally?"

She shrugs.

"What is going on up here?!"

Spike spins and comes face-to-face with Angel. "This is your apartment?!"

"Yes!" Angel throws her hands up. "And there's a mutant conference on my roof!"

"Sorry. We'll get off your roof," Spike says, holding her hands up. "I'll find someone else's."

"Who are they?" Samantha asks, stepping from behind Angel.

"We were humans," the fox says. "Experimented on."

"Like her?" Samantha points at Spike. "That's sad. What are you going to do?"

"We don't know. Sanchez over there is going to teach us to fight those that did harm to us."

Angel holds her hand out. "Wait. She's teaching you too?"

Spike nods. "They must be able to live out here."

"Maybe we could make a deal," Angel says slowly. "The Purple Dragons are a gang around here that take money from us. If you could help us fight them, some of us could help pay for your lodging and food."

"You would do this?"

Angel shrugs. "I've put my trust in one mutant. What's a few more?"

Spike smiles as her phone rings. She flips it out. "Hello?"

"Donnie, this is Spike-I mean, Spike, this is Donnie! You're not gonna believe this!"

"Donnie, let's make a record of weird things that have happened and count how many of those are unbelievable," Spike says.

"Fine. It's the people of New York! The humans! They're…..zombies, almost. In behavior, anyway. They're just wandering around in a daze!"

"What's causing it?" Spike asks. "And why weren't we affected? What about April?" She waits. "And Casey," she adds.

"Them too! I have them restrained for now, and I'm going to need to take some tests in the lair!"

Spike glances at Angel in confusion. "Not all the humans, then. I see one from here that looks normal."

"There are isolated pockets where it's not affecting them, yet, anyway. Quickly, return to the lair!"

"On my way." She turns to Angel. "Be careful. We seem to have a situation. C'mon, Karai."

 **Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	30. Chapter 30

"Surely it issssn't the 'zombie apocalypssse' at lasssst," Karai says as Spike skids into the lair.

"I don't know," Spike says tersely. "Don, where's April?!"

The lab door opens and Raphael steps out, closing it behind him. "Spike, you gotta stay out here for a while."

"Not a chance, Red, get outta my way," Spike says, keeping her pace even. "What happened to my friend?"

"We don't know, Donnie's tryin' ta find out."

"Is it contagious?" she demands.

"We didn't catch it 'cause we're turtles, Don thinks," Raphael says hesitantly.

"Well then."

Raphael holds his arm out. "I don't think you should."

"Raphael." Spike was quiet now. "Please get out of my way and let me see her."

Raphael sighs and takes his toothpick out of his mouth. "Be prepared. It ain't pretty."

Spike pushes open the door of the little, dark laboratory and took in the sight of the four cots.

If she expected actual Zombie-Looking creatures, she was mistaken, but what she saw was much worse.

Casey's eyes were open, staring blankly at the ceiling with skin pale as death. He was cold to the touch.

Irma looked the same, but had developed a twitch in her limbs that had her arms occasionally jerk against the restraints.

Vern was muttering something, looking like a sleepwalker.

Yet April's hit the hardest.

Like the others, her skin was grey, her eyes were glassy. She too had the twitch that Irma did, and was muttering to herself. Her restraints were looser, more out of her continual attempts to get up and walk than Donatello's negligence.

Spike crouches by April, eyes filled with worry and something else. "Don?"

Donatello appears behind her. "I don't know what's wrong with them. It started where they just wouldn't speak to us, and April almost walked off the building. They wanted to go somewhere, all of them, but we didn't know where, or why. They just kept saying: 'Report to the Master'."

April turns her head and seems to stare through Spike with wide, sightless eyes.

"I discovered that something was sending impulses from the brain, but I don't know what. Also, there are isolated groups where no one was affected. I don't know if it's blood type, or brain size, or what." Donatello sinks into a chair and takes his glasses off. "I just don't know. They've been deteriorating, and I don't know how to stop it."

Spike lays her hand on April's forehead. "She's cold."

"They all are." Donatello reaches for a stress ball on the table and toys with it. "Perhaps it's something to do with their DNA."

"Maybe."

"Or something to do with location."

"Maybe."

"Or…" His hand clenches around the stress ball, which comes to pieces in his hands. "I don't know, Spike. I don't know what's wrong with them. I always know, though, I'm the smart one, that's my job. If _I_ can't figure this out…"

"Donnie, it ain't your fault. This has somethin' to do with the Foot or the Kraang, and we didn't know. You can't prevent somethin' you don't know about. Any of your brothers would tell ya the same, and so would Splinter. We'll figure it out."

"I hope you're right."

Spike looks back at April. "So do I."

 **Thanks for reading. Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter.**


	31. Chapter 31

"I made a promise, years ago, to protect her," Spike says numbly. "I told her mom….." She leans her forehead on the wall beside April's cot. "In this last year, I realized I have no power to keep her safe."

Donatello chews on the end of his pencil, apprehensively studying the humans before snapping it in half as an idea came to him. "Perhaps if we look at any possible transmissions the Foot or the Kraang are putting out….."

"We'll see what _they're_ doing!" Spike stands. "How long?"

"Two shakes of a turtle's tail." Donatello spins back to his computers before noting his lack of pencil. "Hey. Where'd my pencil go?"

Spike picks up the halves. "You mean this pencil?"

"Oh." He ducks his head. "Sorry."

"No big. I'll get the others."

 ** _~Evil Takes it's Toll~_**

Leonardo leans over Donatello's chair, staring intently at the computer screen. "Well, Donnie?"

"One broadcast, same transmitter, all over the city. It's taking the form of…." Donatello types a little, frowning before sitting back in disbelief. "Television. It's going through the televisions."

Michelangelo looks up from Irma. "Wait, so, this is because of the TV? Why aren't _we_ zombies too?"

"It's possible it may not do anything to those who are not human. We were never the Foot's goal, the people were. We're on their kill list," Leonardo points out.

"Fun being popular, eh?" Raphael nudges Spike's shoulder.

"Very."

Karai slithers onto Spike's shell and drapes across her shoulders.

"Karai, any information on this?" Spike asks.

Karai shakes her head. "It'sssss on a need to know bassssissss. Thisss isss newsss to me."

"That'd explain why some aren't affected," Donatello says. "Not everyone has a television"

"Wouldn't it have to be on?" Michelangelo asks, bounding over.

"Maybe not. The signal's strong enough to turn on the television for someone." Donatello turns. "April said they needed to 'Report to the Master'."

"The Shredder?" Raphael asks. He punches his fist into his hand. "I'd like to give him some payback."

"What are _you_ so mad about?" Spike says callously. "He didn't kill _you._ He's _mine,_ when we find him."

Raphael turns. "We can't let you fight him again. Look what he did to you _last_ time, Spike. You died, yeah. For you, it's not that bad. We had to sit there and _watch_ you bleed to death, watch you hurt and then watch the life just…..leave ya."

Spike stares back as Karai slips down and leaves the room, following Leonardo and the others as they tactfully withdraw.

"I'm sorry," Spike says softly. "But I need to take him down. _I_ need to."

"I- _we_ can't lose you again," Raphael says more forcefully. "You almost destroyed us last time. If he is the one behind this, the one responsible for all these people going zombie, he's got big plans together, Sanchez. We had a hard enough time the last go around, and here you want a rematch?"

"This city, this world will not be out of danger until people like the Shredder are gone." Spike turns. "First, we need to broadcast a signal strong enough to break the hold it has over the people, and then we have to go deal more forcefully with the problem at hand. Preferably with a flame thrower."

 **Thanks for reading, guys. Please let me know what you think in a review, they help me write. I'll see you all next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32

"I think you're being a bit extreme about this," Donatello says nervously.

"He killed me and is trying to take over the planet. It's not so much revenge as it is open warfare." Spike takes the Ellen Ripley gun off of the wall in her room and turns around. "Listen. You set the humans go, we follow them to the Shredder's base. We break the signal, and then we got _Cobra_ mode all over their plans."

"The plan is sound," Leonardo admits. He leans on the wall. "If Donnie can get those amplifiers hooked up to the van, we'll be able to break the hold over everyone in New York."

"If I get a high enough frequency," Donatello says. "Yes."

Michelangelo sets Lily on the floor. "Then what are we waiting for? We should start, before whatever they're doing starts!"

"Mikey's right," Leonardo says.

Michelangelo gapes at him. "Can you say that again?" He holds up his phone. "I need to record that."

Leonardo frowns at him.

"Sorry."

"As Leonardo says, your brother is right. You must act now," Splinter agrees. "New York and the world may be in grave danger."

"Everyone in the van," Donatello says, pointing.

"I'm drivin'," Raphael declares. "You got those explosives rigged up, Don?"

"Yes, but we aren't supposed to use them yet," Donatello says. "Not sure if it's stable."

Spike secures the gun to the back of her shell. "We won't need 'em. I'll follow them on the rooftops."

 ** _~Evil Takes its Toll~_**

Spike (with Karai wrapped around her arm) dashes over the buildings as April, Casey, Irma and Vern sluggishly make their way towards the center of the city.

Karai's tail end curls around the gun strap. "When do I give thisss to you?"

"On my signal. Leo says no blowin' up anythin' unless I have to."

Karai hisses a laugh before flicking her tongue out. "We are not alone. The place will be guarded."

Spike taps the gun. "That's why I brought Baby."

"I'm coming too." Skye leaps down beside her, turning rapidly into the turtle form. "Let's go pound a sucker."

"Are you sure?" Spike asks. "This is my timeline."

Skye waves her hand. "I won't mess it up that much. Come on. Besides, it's either me or Mona Lisa."

"The lizard woman?"

"I thought she was Salamandarian." Skye shrugs. "Whatever."

"We musssst move quickly. Let'ssss go!" Karai cries.

"Spike!" Donatello's voice crackles through her headset. "Where are you?"

"I can still see them. I'm after them, Don, don't worry. I won't lose 'em." Spike turns and begins running, Skye dashing behind her.

" _We_ won't lose them," Skye utters.

 **Thanks so much for reading, guys! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	33. Chapter 33

April, Vern, Casey and Irma disappear among a crowd of people heading into the subway underground.

Karai nods towards it. "A new headquartersss."

Spike taps at her headset. "Donnie, update. They're heading into a subway, with a lot of other people. I don't know what the best thing to do is, if I go in now, who knows how many people will see me?"

The turtle van pulls up across the street and Leonardo gives her the thumbs up through the windshield.

"Leo says you gotta wait until I broadcast the new signal," Donatello says. "Mikey and Raph set up the amplifiers, so it should be easy to find the correct frequency."

Spike pulls the gun off of her back and glances at the subway, running her hand over the body of it.

"A pulse rifle?" Skye glances at the weapon.

"It's an incinerator. All I need is one shot, and Shred-Head goes down in a blaze."

"Bitter, are we?"

"You have no idea." Spike aims.

Karai hisses in warning seconds before Bebop lands on the roof next to her.

"You just don't give up, do you, girl?"

"Clearly I didn't smash you well enough last time," Spike utters. She turns, and brings her gun up as Bebop readies his own weapon, a Kraang laser gun.

"He's bigger than the one I'm used to," Skye says candidly. "Broader. Mine is a skinny dude who raps, kind of an annoying guy, you know?"

"So is he," Spike points out.

"And you didn't smash him well enough?" Skye asks sympathetically.

"Hey, I missed a little too! You'd be dead if I didn't have such a good heart. But Boss doesn't like his enemies alive, so you know what I'm in the mood for? Turtle soup!" Bebop aims.

"The least you can do is come up with something besides turtle soup, Pork Chop." Spike smashes the butt of her weapon into Bebop's tusks.

"Ouch!" The warthog stumbles back. "C'mon, girl, the least you can do is make it a fair fight!"

Karai launches herself into the air and wraps her tail around his throat, dragging him to the ground as a high pitched noise rips through the skies.

Karai winces, Bebop shouts, Spike puts her hands over her ears as the sound wave rips into her skull.

Below on the street, hundreds of humans blink awake from a daze.

Skye peers down as the blast of noise quiets, grabbing the gun from the ground. "We need to move fast. Remember _Commando?_ "

Spike grins as she lowers her hands as the throbbing in her ears diminishes. "You bet."

"What's goin' on here?" Bebop squeals from the ground.

Spike turns and plants her knee in his chest, leaning heavily. "You're going to tell me right now if the Shredder is in there, or you're going to squeal like a stuck pig, if you'll pardon the analogy."

Bebop starts to shake. "Now, c'mon, ya ain't gonna hurt me too bad, right? I know all about the ninja honor code, never hurt a man when he's down, enemy prisoner rights and all."

Spike stands. "You're right."

Relief washes over Bebop's furry features as Skye and Spike share a look of understanding.

Spike grabs his ankle and swings him around, holding him over the edge of the building. "Good thing I was never a ninja."

 **Huzzah for Commando/Terminator style. Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me keep writing. I'll see you guys all next time!**


	34. Chapter 34

Karai leans over Spike's shoulder. "Are you going to drop him?"

"You wouldn't!" Bebop squeaks. "You wouldn't, right? I mean, there's no way!"

"Where's Shredder?" Spike asks.

"I-I-I don't know, he's uh, we're not supposed to say! There's no way I'll sell him out! He'll kill me?"

"My arm's getting tired," Spike says in a bored tone. "Memory still bad?"

Bebop's only reply was a whimper.

Static crackles in Spike's communicator. "Spike….Sarah, this is Leo. I can see you from the van. Don't do it."

"Don't drop a scumbag off the roof because he won't give me information? Leo, I got news. One way or another, his guts are gonna spill." Spike's grip loosens on the warthog's ankle.

"Shredder ain't here! He's overseas, got something going on in Japan!" Bebop shouts, eyes darting between the ground and his only grounding to the building. "I swear, he's not in there! He left Tiger Claw and Hun in charge! Please, put me down!"

Spike raises an eye ridge at him.

"On the roof!" Bebop howls. "Don't just drop me!"

Skye's eyes flash. "He's gone?! Coward! Coward, I say! He doesn't even have the honor to die well."

"You call that dyin' well?!" Bebop cries. "Crazy-Eyes was gonna shoot him! That gun would do him in from the top of this buildin'! She was gonna snipe him!"

"No." Spike yanks him up, nose to snout with him. "I was going to go to him, I was going to meet him. I wanted him to turn around, I wanted him to see me, to _know_ he failed to cause suffering, to _know_ he was going to die, and _then,_ only then would I pull the trigger. I want him to die, not for revenge, but because he is thoroughly coldblooded and evil."

"You're nuts. No one can fight the Shredder. What makes you so tough now? You died last time, from what I hear!"

Spike throws him onto the top of the building, grabbing her gun, hands shaking.

"April and the others are okay," Skye says gently. "You do not need to take him out this time. His day will come, and sooner rather than later."

Spike stares down at her weapon.

"We have won the battle," Karai says. "We will win the war. Fear not, friend." She plucks the communication system off of Spike's head and holds it to her own. "Leonardo, Shredder issss not here. He hassss gone to Japan."

"Alright. This puts a catch in our plans for the evening." Leonardo sighs. "That's another plan foiled. It's been boring over here, watching you dangle mutants off of buildings."

Karai unexpectedly laughs.

Michelangelo's voice replaces Leonardo's. "Is Spike there? Tell her not to come back quickly! Tell her, uh….tell her the lair is on fire, or something!"

Karai glances at the headset.

"I just remembered, I was gonna pull a prank on her, you know, and she left her mace here, and I put glue on it, and, uh-"

" **It's stuck to my shell, Mikey!** "

"It's stuck to Raph's shell," Michelangelo squeaks. "Don't tell her, she'll kill me!"

Karai hisses a brief laugh before turning to share with Skye.

"What is it?" Spike asks as Bebop takes off for his headquarters, running scared.

"Your friend isss gone."

"She does that a lot," Spike says knowingly. She leans back, fitting her gun in the strap around her shell. "Shall we go home?"

"Perhapsss, let usss take the sssscenic route," Karai says. "I sssuddenly wish to sssssee more of the city."

Spike shrugs. "Well, okay then. I'll show you Manhattan." She holds out her arm, and Karai slithers up it, onto her shell. "Let's go."

 **Thanks for reading, guys. Please let me know your opinions in a review, it helps me write. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	35. Chapter 35

Karai stalled and stalled and stalled, but even she had to admit defeat.

"You were never this interested in our fair city," Spike grumbles, hauling her home.

Karai shrugs. "I have good reassssson to be now. Thissss isss my home now."

"True." Spike moves the manhole cover and climbs into the sewer. "Very true."

A few steps into the lair and Spike freezes.

"What is going on here?!" she demands.

Raphael stands facing the wall while Michelangelo, one foot planted on the wall, heaves at her mace handle, still stubbornly stuck to Raphael's shell.

"OH…hi, Spike, you're home," Michelangelo squeaks.

"What did you do?" Spike asks, crossing her arms and leaning into Michelangelo's personal space bubble.

Michelangelo blinks. "I was gonna prank you."

Spike glowers.

"And….I missed," he says lamely.

"I'll say." Spike grabs the handle and gives one hard yank. The weapon comes unstuck and falls into her hands.

"I loosened it up for you," Michelangelo protests.

The mace raises threateningly.

Michelangelo squeaks and looks at Karai with a betrayed expression. "I thought you were supposed to make sure she didn't find out!"

Spike turns. "Surrounded by spies, huh?"

Raphael scratches at glue stuck to his shell. "Oh yeah, how did Karai do with the mission?"

"She was most helpful in grounding Bebop," Spike growls. She drops the gun onto the couch and collapses onto it, rubbing her forehead. "But he got away."

"You didn't kill him."

"No. Leo said…..Leo said not to."

"I know." Spike stares at the vase in front of her with the pink roses, still fresh looking. "The humans?"

Something presses over her eyes. "Guess."

"April?" Spike stands, turning with expectation.

April grins up at her, spreading her arms, the familiar yellow jacket brightening the dark sewer.

Spike grins back, and in an uncharacteristic show of affection, picks her oldest friend up in a tight embrace.

April pounds good naturedly on Spike's hard shell before coughing. "Hey, metal arms-"

"Sorry." Spike sets her down. "I was worried about you."

Michelangelo slings his arm around Irma's shoulders. "We were worried about all of you."

"Even me?" Casey asks in surprise.

"Even me?" Vern repeats.

"Even you," Spike admits.

"How did you do it?" April asks. "Leonardo and Splinter just checked us out and made sure we were clear in the dojo. How was it done?"

Donatello exits the lair, taking off headphones. "Eureka, magnificent and bra _vo!_ The frequencies being emitted through every television set in the city are _gone!_ I knew I could cancel it!"

"Did you really?" Spike asks, putting her hands on her hips.

"Uh….no. It was a guess." He ducks his head, grinning.

"You broke the…." April gestures.

"Mind control," Vern supplies.

"Yeah, you broke it?" April asks.

Donatello nods. "Yeah. No side effects, right?"

April crosses the room in two steps, wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you, Donnie."

Donatello's glasses slide down his nose as he opens his mouth, looking remarkably like a fish before hugging her back. "No…problem."

April presses her lips to his scaly cheek. "And to think, I can still remember when you were only this big!" She holds her fingers out, a few inches apart. "Dad was right to go with turtles instead of rabbits." She lets go and turns, spreading her arms. "It's so nice to be able to control my actions again."

"Yeah," Donatello babbles. "It'd be ridiculous to go with rabbits, rabbits breed too much and too fast, and they're higher maintenance and-"

Raphael smacks him in the back of the head.

"Ouch!"

Even Splinter, standing in the dojo entryway, has to smile. Things are back to close-to-normal.

 **Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!**


	36. Chapter 36

Karai slithers onto Spike's plastron the next morning as Spike snores contentedly.

"Ssssspike!"

Spike rolls over onto her side, almost crushing Karai's tail under her. The snake woman puts her hands on her scaly hips, frowning at her. Her forked tongue darts between her teeth as she thinks. "Sssspike!"

No response.

The door opens. "Spike, yo, rise and shine!" Michelangelo shouts. He glances at Karai. "Are you trying to kill her or wake her up?"

"She issss a heavy sleeper," Karai remarks.

"You're telling me. She's worse than Raph." He strides into the room. "Oh, she won't be needing this model of the original _Enterprise,_ right?"

Spike's eye snaps open and she rolls over all the way, hand outstretched.

Michelangelo yelps and ducks under Spike's swipe. "I was kidding, I was kidding!"

"Kid, you better be." Spike sits up and gropes for her mask, sliding it on and knotting it in the back. She groans and rubs her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Nine o'clock in the morning, dude. Splinter wants you to spar with Raph!" Michelangelo claps his hands, grinning. "Can't wait, right?"

"When?" she asks blearily.

He looks at her. "Uh, right now. Come on! Get your shell out of bed and let's roll!"

Spike throws a pillow at him. "Get out."

"Fine, fine. Grumpy turtle." Michelangelo closes the door behind him.

Spike rolls out of bed and grabs her belt, strapping it on. "Where did you disappear to last night?"

"I informed Angel of the sssituation that had developed and told the mutants to return home," Karai explains. "They found a Dragon band on the way back."

"Oh no."

"That Mona Lissssa is adept with her tail," Karai says. "Strong."

Spike nods. "Alright. Strong. Noted."

"The fox is deadly. Quick."

"Noted."

Something bangs at the door.

Spike reaches over and yanks the door open, glaring up at Raphael. "Can I _help_ you?"

Raphael crosses his arms. "Depends on whether or not you're done gussying up."

"Whether I'm done doing _what?!_ " Spike thunders. She plants a hand in the middle of his plastron and shoves him against the wall opposite her little cubby in the wall. "Red, you're _really_ pushing it."

He shoves back, beginning to grin. "I know. It's a living. You woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"You could say that." Spike crosses her arms.

"I'll just sssstay in here." Karai wisely shuts herself into Spike's quarters.

Spike reaches up and closes her fingers around the toothpick. "Wouldn't want you to get splinters when I push your face into the dirt." She pulls it out and flips it towards a discard can in the living quarters. "Right?"

"You're a cocky one," Raphael says. "You really are."

"Thanks, Red. C'mon. Let's show Master Splinter who the best fighter really is."

Raphael smirks and leans over. "I think we both know who that is," he whispers into her ear.

Spike crosses her arms as his smirk starts to affect her mental capacities. "I think we do."

"What is this, pro wrestling?" Leonardo demands from the kitchen. "If you're going to go at it, just do it! Enough smack talk and get to the dojo."

"Aye-aye, Captain."

 **Thanks for reading, guys!**

 **Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	37. Chapter 37

Michelangelo pats Spike's shoulders from behind, with a towel draped around his neck. "Alright, just aim at his weak spot."

"Where would _that_ be?"

"I'll let you know when I find it." Michelangelo gulps. "Tough nut to crack. So uh, try not to get smashed."

Spike cracks her neck. "I'll try."

Raphael moves to the center of the mat as Splinter settles. Spike meets the other turtle in the middle, and they shake hands.

"Begin," Splinter calls.

Spike slides out of the way as Raphael begins with his signature move: Punching within five seconds of the match. She swings behind him, almost as fast as his recover, turning to plant a kick into her plastron.

Spike grunts, sets her feet, and shoves back. Raphael's green eyes widen at the unexpected move and swings back around for a roundhouse kick. Spike ducks and spins as he flips over her head, bringing his arm back for a punch aimed at her midsection. She dodges-and the punch doesn't slow, landing on her right cheekbone.

Spike staggers, working her jaw as Donatello gasps.

Raphael freezes. "Oh no. I'm sorry. I'm real sorry, Spike, I didn't mean to hit you in the face. Are you hurt? I mean it, I would never hit you in the face, come on, are you okay?"

Spike glances up at him as her mouth twitches before bringing her own fist back and giving him a blow to match.

Raphael stumbles backward. "Yikes!" He rubs his cheek, narrowing his eyes.

Spike grins widely, stepping backward and beckoning.

"Come on, let me hear the smack talk!" Michelangelo shouts. "Go, ninja, go ninja, go ninja go!"

"My money's still on Raph," Donatello says.

Raphael eyes Spike before sliding to the right. Spike moves to block, and Raphael switches left and clips her side, sending her teetering on the edge of the mat. She ducks into a somersault and comes up on Raphael's other side.

"Oh, nice," Raphael says, cocking his head. He throws a hook and body-shot combination punch series, as Spike ducks under and blocks blow after blow. One smashes into her plastron, and she rebounds, shoving back at his shoulders, pushing him off balance. She swings a roundhouse kick, and knocks him sideways.

"Come on Raphael!" Donatello shouts.

Michelangelo glares at him. "Dude, he beats us up, and now you're rooting for him?"

"Well, he is our brother!"

"C'mon, big guy, hit me with your best shot," Spike grins, spreading her arms.

"If you say so." Raphael aims a jab.

Spike's arms snap front, and she grabs his wrist, twisting his arm and moving to curl it behind his shell before he spins back out of it, and tackles Spike to the ground.

Splinter shakes his head, turning to Leonardo. "The art of the ninja is dead, my son. Look at those two."

"They're acting like kids," Leonardo sighs.

April bursts through the door of the dojo, supported by Irma.

"Guys!" Irma shouts. "Something's wrong with April!"

 **Thanks for reading, guys. Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me write. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	38. Chapter 38

Spike shoves Raphael off her and stands, quickly reaching her friend's side. "April?"

"No, Spike, I'm fine," April says, putting her hand to her head and closing her eyes. "Don't worry about me."

Michelangelo stands, frowning. "Um…what did she do?"

"She was in a meeting and got into a huge argument with some of the guys there," Vern explains, bringing up the rear. "Yelled at 'em and everything, I've never seen her like that before."

"April?"

"They said some pretty disgusting stuff," April protests.

"Like 'I think we need a few more stories on the vigilantes' and 'April, you discovered them, you get first dibs'?" Vern asks in astonishment. "Wow, yeah, disgusting."

"They said other things," April says defensively.

"What did she _say_ to them?" Leonardo asks.

"She stood up, slapped a guy, and told him to never say such things about her again," Vern explains.

Raphael stifles a laugh.

Spike stares at her. "April?"

"He said _horrid_ things about me. I _heard_ them," April says stubbornly. "Didn't you?" She turns to Vern.

He shakes his head. "I can honestly say I didn't. I have no idea what you're talking about, April."

April turns to the others. "I _heard_ him. I'm not crazy." She looks imploringly at Spike, grabbing her hand. "You _know_ I'm not crazy. You always believed me, right?"

Spike nods certainly. "Of course I know. I believe you. I've heard some of the guys at work say some pretty disgusting things."

"So _that's_ where their black eyes came from." Vern snaps his fingers. "Of course."

"So, you got kicked out?" Michelangelo asks.

"Uh, more like she was strongly advised to leave until she calms down," Irma says. "I told them she was having an allergic reaction to medication."

"So, she's not fired," Michelangelo says. "That's good news!"

"Yes, Mikey, that's good news." Donatello pats April's shoulder, smiling reassuringly. "I'm sure this will be sorted out soon."

April looks up at him and smiles, her eyes glistening a little. Donatello inhales, and freezes with his hand on her back. "Thank you, Donnie." She chuckles. "You're beautiful too."

A frightened and embarrassed whimper is the only sound that emerges from the turtle as he yanks his hand away. "What?!"

April looks at him, puzzled. "You said I was beautiful. I….made a joke out of it."

"He didn't say that," Leonardo says, staring at her.

"I didn't hear it." Raphael shakes his head.

Michelangelo holds his hands up. "Woah, April, maybe you're overtired or something. That happens to me, I once drank a carton of soda, and the next morning, I thought Master Splinter told me to punch myself, so I did."

"Four times," Splinter adds, sighing. "April, my dear, how do you feel?"

"I feel fine, Splinter." April shrugs. "Really, I feel normal."

Irma tugs on April's arm. "Come over here and sit down, okay? We'll talk, but sit down first…."

Spike turns to Donatello. "What was that about?"

Donatello turns to her, pale green and shaking. "I…..I didn't say she was beautiful."

"We know," Spike says, confused.

Donatello leans closer, eyes huge. " _But I_ _ **thought**_ _it."_

 **Thanks for reading, guys. Please let me know what you think in a review, it helps me out a lot. As always, I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	39. Chapter 39

"You what?" Spike asks in shock, turning around.

Donatello's eyes widen even further behind his glasses. "I thought it! She somehow knew the _exact_ thought running through my head! I didn't mean to think it, it just zipped in and out, you know how it is."

Spike nods, a growing sense of concern falling over her. "So…..she made a lucky guess?"

"Or that mental signal that the Shredder sent out affected her in another way," Donatello says excitedly. "It's possible, you know, that it did affect her mind in a different way than it would have say….Irma. After all, she was the last one out of the building, maybe they did something to her that would-"

"Let her read minds? Donnie, this isn't a comic book."

He looks at her.

"Fine, fine, fine, mutant ninja turtles, point taken." Spike eyes him. "So. Mind reading?"

"Maybe. The extent of it…I don't know!" Donatello spreads his arms and gestures. "What should we do?"

"Talk to Splinter?" Spike suggests. "He seems to know everything."

"Well, not everything, but chances are, he'll be able to help." Donatello turns. "Should we…talk to her?"

"What do you think?"

"I think we should. It's not right to talk about her behind her back and wonder without letting her know that we are concerned," Donatello points out.

"Then let's go get her, tiger."

 ** _~Evil Takes its Toll~_**

"I'm having second thoughts."

"You're being chicken. Come on, Don." Spike raps on the doors to the dojo area. "Master Splinter? Uh, Don and I'd like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

The door slides open, and Splinter looks up at her. "I am speaking with April. We are trying to determine her….problem."

"I have a theory about that," Donatello says, cleaning his glasses. "If…we may come in?"

Splinter opens the door wider and ushers them inside, closing the door again. "A theory, my son?"

"Yes." Donatello sits on his knees, taller than his sensei even when sitting down. He glances at April, and then lets his gaze drop as his cheeks turn slightly red under the green scales.

April cocks her head at him. "Donnie?"

Donatello clears his throat. "Um, yes, my theory. My theory is that uh, April here, during the episode last night, with the mind control? I think she was affected."

Silence falls.

"I know, Donnie, all the humans were," April says, puzzled.

Donatello chuckles nervously. "Uh, yeah, but my idea is that when they brought you into the headquarters, they did something to _you._ You were in there longer than the others were, so it's possible they did something to you."

"Like make me the only one able to hear things?" April asks.

"More like….read minds."

 **Thanks for reading guys! Please let me know what you think in a review it helps me out a lot. Make sure to check in the next chapter!**


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